Junya Tanaka scored a pair of first-half goals and Leandro added another in the second half Saturday as Kashiwa Reysol beat Vissel Kobe 3-0 to increase its lead at the top of the J-League standings.
Tanaka struck twice within three minutes midway through the first half. Leandro put the game beyond any doubt with a right-foot shot from 10 meters in the 73rd.
Kashiwa improved to 19 points after eight games, three ahead of Vegalta Sendai which played to a 1-1 draw with third-placed Yokohama F Marinos.
Kashiwa opened the scoring in the 20th with Tanaka beating Kobe's goalkeeper with a long-range shot.
Tanaka doubled the lead three minutes later with an angled effort from just inside the left-hand corner of the box.
Kobe pressed forward after the break but Leandro made it 3-0 by slotting home Hideaki Kitajima's pass.
Also, Daisuke Suzuki's late goal lifted Albirex Niigata to a 1-1 draw with Urawa Reds while Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata finished goalless. Ventforet Kofu against Montedio Yamagata ended 1-1.
