J.League Review: Marinos stun Sanfrecce, Frontale beat Cerezo

Yokohama F. Marinos stunned Sanfrecce Hiroshima with two stoppage-time strikes to secure a 2-1 win when the J.League resumed on Tuesday.

Naoki Ishihara’s goal 11 minutes into the second half looked to have given the home side all three points in their first game following a two-month break for the FIFA World Cup, but Marinos produced a dramatic late fightback to secure what appeared to be an unlikely away win.

Manabu Saito popped up with an equaliser after 90 minutes at EDION Stadium, then to add insult to injury Sho Ito won it four minutes into time added on to ensure the visitors move up to ninth in the table and are now just two points behind their opponents.

Ito was left kicking his heels on the substitutes bench during Japan’s FIFA World Cup campaign, but put that frustration behind him with his match-winning strike having also scored in a 3-0 win at Kawasaki Frontale in the final game before the Brazil showpiece.

Frontale also marked their return to action with a 2-1 away win at the expense of Cerezo Osaka at KINCHO Stadium.

Frontale had to come from behind to secure a victory that ensured they moved up to third place in the table, with Yoshito Okubo levelling from the penalty spot on the hour-mark and Jun Kanakubo winning it 14 minutes from time after Jun Ando had opened the scoring.

Cerezo were ultimately unable to turn around their poor form from before the break and are languishing just a point above city rivals Gamba Osaka, who are in the relegation zone.