Kashiwa Reysol moved top after fourth successive victory
Kashiwa Reysol moved to the top of the early J.League standings after beating Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 away on Saturday. Jelani Sumiyoshi’s 71st-minute own goal decided the match and secured Kashiwa’s fourth successive victory. The result came as Machida Zelvia dropped their first points of the season, drawing 1-1 with Mito Hollyhock, allowing Kashiwa to take advantage at the head of the table. The victory marked a strong continuation of Kashiwa’s start to the campaign, with their unbeaten run now built around four consecutive wins.
Kashiwa’s rise was one of the weekend’s main developments in Japan’s top flight because it combined a winning run with Machida’s first loss of momentum. The decisive moment arrived through an own goal rather than a finish from a Kashiwa player, but the narrow result was enough to move Reysol above their early-season rivals. Their next fixtures will test whether Saturday’s result represents a brief change at the summit or the beginning of a sustained challenge for the leading positions.
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Kashima Antlers maintained perfect start against Tokyo Verdy
Defending J.League champions Kashima Antlers maintained their perfect start to the new campaign with a 2-0 victory over Tokyo Verdy on Saturday. The result kept Kashima among the early pace-setters and underlined their continued strength after winning the title last season. Reuters reported that Brazilian striker Leo… was involved in the victory, although the available match account did not include the remainder of his name or specify the exact contribution. Kashima’s clean-sheet win nevertheless gave them another convincing result at the beginning of their title defence.
The victory was significant because Kashima were not merely chasing the leaders after a slow start; they preserved a 100 per cent record while the early standings began to take shape. Their success also added pressure to the teams around them, including Machida Zelvia, who surrendered points in a draw with Mito Hollyhock. With Kashiwa Reysol now top after four straight wins, Kashima’s continued perfect run ensured the champions remained firmly in the early title conversation.
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