Yuya Osako's second-half brace salvaged Vissel Kobe a point as the leaders drew 2-2 with Kawasaki Frontale at home in the J-League first division on Saturday.
Japan's former regular forward took his tally to a J1-leading 16 goals this term as Vissel, who were playing their game in hand, moved up to 44 points, one point clear of second-placed reigning champions Yokohama F Marinos. Kawasaki are seventh on 32 points.
Yasuto Wakizaka powered home the 23rd-minute opener from close range after Vissel lost possession deep inside their own half, with Brazilian defender Matheus Thuler scuffing his clearance into the Kawasaki midfielder's path.
Forward Taisei Miyashiro doubled the visitors' lead on the half-hour mark at Noevir Stadium after Joao Schmidt flicked on a corner before Kobe came roaring back in the second half.
Osako scored a 59th-minute penalty to halve the deficit following a handball by the visitors inside the box and headed in the leveler off Koya Yuruki's corner three minutes later.
"We had a dismal first half, and we spoke at halftime of the need to give the supporters a different display in the second half, which we did," Osako said. "But the chance to win gets remote when you go into the break 2-0 down."
Fellow J1 side Gamba Osaka, meanwhile, lost 1-0 in their international club friendly match against visiting Scottish champions Celtic, who fielded Japanese players Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Tomoki Iwata and Kyogo Furuhashi.
Alexandro Bernabei scored the 85th-minute winner at Panasonic Stadium after robbing the ball off Gamba keeper Kei Ishikawa. Celtic lost their first match of their preseason tour to Japan, 6-4 against Yokohama F Marinos on Wednesday.
