Machida Zelvia moved further clear at the summit of the J-League 1 after securing a 3:1 victory away at Nagoya Grampus on Saturday evening. The hosts took an early lead through Ryohei Shirasaki just before the interval, but two own goals turned the match on its head before Yusuke Matsuo added a late third for the visitors.
Nagoya started brightly and controlled much of the early exchanges. They enjoyed 61 per cent possession and launched 71 attacks, yet struggled to convert territory into clear-cut opportunities. Only one big chance was created, and four of their five shots on target failed to trouble the goalkeeper.
Machida, by then, had made their presence felt in different ways. They registered just 49 attacks but produced seven big chances, a figure that spoke to the quality of their movement rather than the volume. Three shots on target required only one save from the Nagoya keeper, and the margin between them and their hosts was becoming apparent.
The turning point came in quick succession. Henry Heroki Mochizuki bundled the ball past his own keeper in the 55th minute, erasing Shirasaki's advantage. Alexandre Kouto Horio Pisano compounded the damage for Nagoya when he diverted another cross into his net seven minutes later. By then, the momentum had shifted decisively.
Machida held on grimly after their second goal, absorbing pressure while waiting for the chance to add a third. When it came, it arrived in the 90th minute through Yusuke Matsuo, a reminder that the visitors were still looking for confirmation of their superiority.
The statistics told the story of a match where efficiency trumped dominance. Nagoya completed 418 passes compared to 246 for Machida, yet the visitors created more than six times the number of big chances. The shot accuracy figures—8 per cent for the hosts against 38 per cent for the guests—reflected that disparity.
The result leaves Machida in first place with 16 points from six games, while Nagoya remain 14th on just six points. The visitors extended their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions, adding to a sequence that has seen them win four and draw once.