Gamba Osaka took decisive action in their bid to avoid J.League first-division relegation with a 3-2 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.
Gamba, who finished third last season but have since changed manager twice, went into the match at Todoroki Stadium second from bottom in the table despite having scored a league-high 55 goals, and took control when Akihiro Ienaga broke the deadlock in the 21st minute.
Frontale's Jumpei Kusukami equalized early in the second half before Hiroki Fujiharu restored Gamba's lead six minutes later, and although Kengo Nakamura leveled the score again in the 72nd minute, Ienaga had the last word, slamming the ball home with a vicious left-foot drive 14 minutes from time.