Tokyo - Table-topping Urawa Reds smashed six past hapless Sagan Tosu to extend their advantage in the J-League on Saturday, while Gamba Osaka's game in Yokohama was halted by a strong earthquake.
Slovenian striker Zlatan Ljubijankic netted twice in Urawa's 6-1 win on the south-western island of Kyushu, a result which sent the unbeaten Reds six points clear on 33 points from 13 matches.
All of Urawa's goals came after the interval, when they had trudged off trailing 1-0.
Last season's treble winners Gamba needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Brazilian forward Patric to salvage a 1-1 draw at Yokohama F-Marinos after a quake jolted the ground, causing alarm among the crowd.
Play was stopped for around 10 minutes in the second half after the 7.8-magnitude quake jolted Yokohama's Nissan Stadium, venue for the 2002 World Cup final.
Champions Gamba, who reached the Asian Champions League quarter-finals in midweek, lost ground on the Reds and finished the day with 24 points, albeit with a game in hand on their fierce rivals.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima remain second despite being held to a goalless draw at Shonan Bellmare but have played a game more than Urawa.
Japan striker Yoshinori Muto celebrated his imminent move to German side Mainz by firing the winning goal from the spot in FC Tokyo's 2-1 victory at home to Kashiwa Reysol. The result lifted FC Tokyo into third on 26 points from 14 games.
Albirex Niigata's misery continued when the first division's bottom club crashed to a 2-0 home defeat by Ventforet Kofu in northern Japan, leaving them on just 10 points from 14 games.
AFP
