Japan: Kashima return to the summit, Kashiwa close behind
Kashima Antlers moved top of the J1 League with a 1–0 away win over FC Tokyo. Kyosuke Tagawa scored the decisive goal in the 81st minute to lift Kashima to 47 points. FC Tokyo sit 15th with 29.

 

Kashiwa Reysol remain level on points with the leaders but trail by goal difference after a 2–0 win against Shonan Bellmare, courtesy of goals from Tomoya Koyamatsu (44th) and Nobuteru Nakagawa (90th). Shonan sit in 17th with 24 points.

Defending champions and previous leaders Vissel Kobe dropped to third on 46 points after a 2–0 defeat away to Machida Zelvia, who scored through Yuta Nakayama (6th) and Yuki Soma (36th) to move fifth with 43 points.

 

In other matches, Kyoto Sanga beat Nagoya 2–1 to go fourth with 45 points, Sanfrecce Hiroshima were held 0–0 by Shimizu S-Pulse and Urawa Reds defeated Yokohama FC 2–1 to sit seventh with 41 points.

Korea Republic: Jeonbuk pull further clear
Leaders Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors extended their advantage in K League 1 with a 2–1 home win over Anyang.

 

Park Jin-seop opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, and Lee Seung-woo struck the winner in the 89th after Thomas Oude Kotte had equalised for the visitors.

 

Jeonbuk now lead with 57 points, while Anyang are 11th with 27.

Daejeon Hana stayed second with a 3–2 win over Suwon FC. Choi Geon-ju’s opener after just one minute was followed by goals from Joo Min-kyu (76th) and Jun-Beom Kim (83rd), cancelling out strikes from Pablo Sabbag and Luan Dias in first-half stoppage time. Daejeon are on 42 points while Suwon are 10th with 28 points.

 

Defending champions Ulsan HD edged Jeju 1–0, thanks to Gustav Ludwigson’s 73rd-minute goal. Ulsan remain sixth on 34 points; Jeju are ninth with 29.

China PR: Port beat Shenhua in summit showdown
Shanghai Port closed to within one point of leaders Shanghai Shenhua with a 2–1 away win in their top-of-the-table clash.

 

Gabrielzinho put Port ahead in the 27th minute before Leonardo doubled the lead early in the second half.

 

Shinichi Chan pulled one back for Shenhua in the 55th minute but Port held firm to claim the points. Shenhua remain first with 45 points with Port one behind.

Chengdu Rongcheng stayed in the title hunt with a 2–0 away victory over Dalian Zhixing. Felipe de Sousa Silva broke the deadlock in the 77th minute before Gan Chao sealed the win deep into stoppage time, shortly after Chengdu’s Yuan Mincheng was sent off. Chengdu are third with 43 points, Dalian seventh on 29.

 

In other matches, Beijing FC edged Zhejiang 4–3 to move within a point of third-placed Chengdu, Shandong Taishan beat Changchun Yatai 2–1 and Tianjin Jinmen Tigers were held to a goalless draw by Qingdao Youth Island.

Macau: Must IPO, Shao Jiang stay in the hunt
Must IPO maintained top spot in the Championship Group with a commanding 7–0 win over Cheng Fung, taking their tally to 44 points. Cheng Fung are fifth with 20.

 

Shao Jiang kept the pressure on with a narrow 1–0 win against the University of Macau, remaining just one point behind the leaders on 43. The University are third with 26 points.