TOKYO - FC Tokyo defeated Kashima Antlers 2-0 at home to stay top in the J.League first division on Saturday as they stretched their unbeaten run to 13 games and tied the league record with their ninth straight clean sheet.
Second-half goals from forward Motoki Nagakura and Dani Gomez helped the capital club move up to 33 points at Ajinomoto Stadium, two points ahead of Kashiwa Reysol who beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 at home.
FC Tokyo led on the hour mark when Soma Anzai's deep cross from the right was headed back across the face of goal by Kota Tawaratsumida, with Nagakura's first-time volley bouncing over the Kashima defense to find the net.
Substitute Gomez ensured the three points in stoppage time as the Spaniard reacted to his teammate's clearance off Kashima's attacking throw-in and sprinted from box to box to bury a shot into the bottom left corner. Kashima remain on 23 points.
"Of course we are happy with the record," defender Hayato Inamura said after his team matched the benchmark set by Nagoya Grampus in 2021. "But there were moments we could have conceded, and we need to cut those if we were to win the league."
Avispa Fukuoka stayed bottom in 20th after a 1-1 home draw with their Kyushu rivals V-Varen Nagasaki.
