Kawasaki Frontale ensured Kashima Antlers' stop-start season remained stuck in first gear with a pulsating 3-2 win over the former J. League champions on Sunday.
Asian Champions League commitments meant Antlers went into the match at Todoroki Stadium having played two games less than the majority of their rivals, with only four points to show from their three outings so far this campaign.
But goals from Juninho and Koji Yamase in a storming first half by Frontale made Antlers' chances of kickstarting their season all the more difficult, and although Yasushi Endo pulled one back five minutes after the restart, substitute Yu Kobayashi stretched the home side's lead to render Carlao's injury-time reply nothing more than a consolation for the Ibaraki side.