Football: Osako, Muto on target as Kobe thrash Kashima 5-1

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Former Japan forwards Yuya Osako and Yoshinori Muto bagged braces for J-League front-runners Vissel Kobe in a 5-1 demolition of Kashima Antlers on Saturday.

Osako nodded home the opener from a corner in the 24th minute at a rainy Kashima Stadium before Muto made it 2-0 with his header from a counterattack in first-half stoppage time.

The visitors added their third early in the second half, with Osako converting from the spot after Kashima midfielder Yuta Higuchi was penalized for handball.

Yuma Suzuki pulled one back for the hosts in the 61st minute, but Daiju Sasaki quickly restored Kobe’s th...

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