Reigning champions Vissel Kobe were dealt an early setback to their J. League first-division title defense on Saturday, going down 1-0 at home against Kashiwa Reysol.
No teams will start the new season with two wins following Saturday's games. Both Urawa Reds and Tokyo Verdy, who face each other Sunday, lost their openers.
At Kobe's Noevir Stadium, substitute Kosuke Kinoshita's 83rd-minute winner crept in at the near post as tenacious Kashiwa claimed their first win, handing Kobe a defeat in their first home match of the campaign in the process.
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