The J. League first-stage title may ultimately count for nothing when the championship playoffs begin in November, but that will not stop the current front-runners from wanting to claim the silverware.
Only three teams can now win the first stage after a weekend round that culled everyone but Kawasaki Frontale, Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds from contention. First-place Frontale lead Antlers by a point with two games of the stage remaining, although a six-point gap between Antlers and third-place Urawa hides the fact that the Saitama side has two games in hand on its rivals.
The team that wins the stage is guaranteed a berth in the championship playoffs, but with the postseason system skewed heavily in favor of the top three teams in the overall league table, the benefits of doing so are open to debate.
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