Football: Vieira strike sends Hiroshima to 3rd after 4 straight wins

Douglas Vieira came off the bench to net the winner for the second game in a row as Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat Sagan Tosu 1-0 at home for their fourth straight victory in the J-League first division.

The win moved Hiroshima up to third on 14 points, two points behind leaders Vissel Kobe, who were held to a goalless draw at home by promoted Alibrex Niigata.

The dominant home side struck in the 75th minute at Edion Stadium after midfielder Shunki Higashi won the ball high up the pitch, skipped past a defender and threaded a ball inside the box to Vieira, who was sent on 17 minutes earlier.

Staying onside, the 35-year-old veteran took a touch before burying his effort off the hand of Tosu keeper Park Il Gyu.

"I was watching Shunki dribble and thought he might shoot, but was also readying myself in case he passed to me," Vieira said. "I could get good control and hit it on the turn...my daily training is paying off."

Vieira scored a late double in Hiroshima's previous league outing on April 1, when they claimed a 2-1 comeback win at Kashima Antlers. He now has three goals from three straight substitute appearances.

Hiroshima went close through Gakuto Notsuda's 31st-minute free-kick that took a deflection off the wall before being parried by Park.

Rookie Sota Koshimichi soon after showed good pace and power on a counter leading to a shot from Makoto Mitsuta that Park also denied. Tosu, meanwhile, did not test Hiroshima keeper Keisuke Osako until past the hour mark, when substitute Atsushi Kawata tried from outside the box.

Elsewhere, Nagoya Grampus moved up to second on goal difference following a 0-0 draw at home with Urawa Reds. Avispa Fukuoka snatched a 2-1 comeback win at home over Kyoto Sanga to join Hiroshima in third with identical points and goal difference.

Shonan Bellmare secured a 2-2 draw at FC Tokyo, while Takuro Kaneko hit a brace as Consadole Sapporo won 3-2 at Cerezo Osaka, who got a double from Leo Ceara.

Gamba Osaka notched their first league win of the year in their seventh outing, beating Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 at Panasonic Stadium after the visitors finished with 10 men.

© Kyodo News