Frontale

In other action, Matias Vargas scored a hat trick as 10-man Shanghai Port defeated South Korea's Ulsan HD 3-1 while Kawasaki Frontale won 3-0 over Buriram United and Shandong Taishan claimed a 1-0 win over Johor Darul Ta'zim.

Sho Ito scored for the second game running on Friday as Kashima Antlers salvaged a 1-1 draw against Kawasaki Frontale.

Reigning champion Kawasaki Frontale survived a scare, coming from two goals down at halftime to beat Japan Football League side Sony Sendai FC 3-2 on goals from Tatsuya Hasegawa, Elsinho and Akihiro Ienaga.

Second-place Kawasaki Frontale remained at 46 after the defending champs lost 2-0 at relegation-threatened Gamba Osaka.

The former Japan international made a galloping run from within his own half to just inside the Frontale box, where he was felled from behind by substitute Yuto Suzuki.