Urawa Reds beat Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 on Saturday to leave the reigning J. League champions still searching for their first win of the new season.
Reysol clinched their first-ever title at Saitama Stadium on the final day of last year's campaign, but Urawa ensured there would be no happy return thanks to a 36th-minute goal from striker Ranko Despotovic.
Reysol conceded an injury-time equalizer to draw 3-3 with Yokohama F. Marinos in last weekend's league opener — after losing to Thailand's Buriram United in the Asian Champions League — but manager Nelsinho is refusing to press the panic button just yet.