Urawa Reds got their faltering J. League title challenge back on track in emphatic style with a 4-0 win over local rivals Omiya Ardija on Saturday.
Reds went into the match at Saitama Stadium trailing league leaders Yokohama F. Marinos by four points having drawn two and lost one of their previous three games, but the home side's task was made easier when a ninth-minute foul brought a red card for Omiya defender Lucas Neill and allowed Yuki Abe to open the scoring from the penalty spot.
Omiya put up a stubborn resistance until Genki Haraguchi notched Urawa's second in the 72nd minute, opening the floodgates for Shinzo Koroki and Kunimitsu Sekiguchi to bump up the scoreline and keep Reds in title contention with six games remaining.
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