KAWASAKI, Japan (AP) - Diego Oliveira scored a hat trick as Kashiwa Reysol stunned second-stage leader Kawasaki Frontale 5-2 in the J-League on Saturday.
The Brazilian scored two early goals - in the 4th and 5th minutes - before Kentaro Moriya pulled one back for Kawasaki in the 17th.
In a lively first half, Akimi Barada restored Kashiwa’s two-goal lead in the 29th before Oliveira completed his hat trick three minutes later.
Hiroto Nakagawa scored Kashiwa’s fifth in the 75th, while Koji Miyoshi grabbed Kawasaki’s consolation in the 82nd.
Second-place Urawa Reds failed to capitalize on Kawasaki’s slip-up, losing 2-1 at Vissel Kobe. The Saitama side is level with Kawasaki on 22 points and has the same goal difference but trails on goals scored - 22 to 19.
Sagan Tosu is just one point further back in third after Yohei Toyoda’s 11th goal of the season delivered a 1-0 win over Albirex Niigata.
Nagoya Grampus failed to snap its winless streak in Bosko Djurovski’s first game in charge, drawing 1-1 with FC Tokyo. Ryunosuke Noda gave Nagoya the lead just before halftime, but Shoya Nakajima’s 91st minute equalizer denied Nagoya its first win in 18 matches.
Also, Gamba Osaka beat Shonan Bellmare 2-1 for its eighth straight defeat and Sanfrecce Hiroshima defeated Vegalta Sendai 2-0.
The Yokohama F. Marinos-Kashima Antlers and Ventforet Kofu-Omiya Ardija games both ended 2-2.
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