Football: Sasaki brace as Kobe overpower Kashima, stay 4 pts clear

Daiju Sasaki hit a brace as leaders Vissel Kobe brushed aside Kashima Antlers 3-1 on Saturday to maintain a four-point cushion in search of their first J-League first-division title.

Second-place Yokohama F Marinos hammered Consadole Sapporo 4-1 at home, with former Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi rolling home the opener to improve to 57 points, another four points clear of third-place Urawa Reds.

At Tokyo’s National Stadium, Kobe midfielder Haruya Ide set up Sasaki’s 16th-minute opener after turning his marker inside out down the left to send in a cross. Sasaki, unmarked, did well to twist his bo...