Urawa Reds stretched their unbeaten run to eight J. League games and dented Kawasaki Frontale's title hopes into the bargain with a 1-0 win on Saturday night.
Reds went into the match having risen to 12th in the table following a disastrous start to the season, and a 10th-minute own goal from Kawasaki's Takanobu Komiyama put them in the driving seat at a rain-slick Todoroki Stadium.
The Saitama side continued to control the game despite a second-half revival from title-chasing Frontale, and the final result dropped the home side 10 points off the championship pace as league-leading Yokohama F. Marinos beat Omiya Ardija 2-1.
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