Defender Shuto Yamamoto headed the winner as Kashima Antlers ended Sanfrecce Hiroshima's unbeaten record in the J-League second stage with a 1-0 win on Wednesday.

Yamamoto's 32nd-minute goal lifted the Antlers into second place behind table-topping Hiroshima, who have 15 points from six games. Kashima improved to 13 points, with Kashiwa Reysol climbing to third on 12 points after beating Vissel Kobe 2-0 at home.

There was little to lift a glum mood at football grounds around the country as the J-League resumed following an international break which saw Japan finish last at the East Asian Cup and left coach Vahid Halilhodzic under pressure.

First-stage winners Urawa Reds returned to winning ways, however, with midfielder Tsukasa Umesaki smashing a long-range winner 14 minutes from time in a 2-1 win at northern club Albirex Niigata.

Urawa, Japan's best-supported club, cruised to the first-stage title after collapsing in last season's championship run-in, but have managed just two wins in six since.

Shimizu S-Pulse, meanwhile, fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Shonan Bellmare in their first game under new boss Kazuaki Tasaka, who was hopping mad that his side were still stuck in the relegation zone.

"I'm bitterly disappointed," he fumed. "At a time when we have to fight, there are players out there clearly not showing the will to fight."

Yokohama F-Marinos, one of Japan's richest clubs and part-owned by Manchester City, registered only their first win of the second stage with a 3-0 victory over Nagoya Grampus, another club guilty of under-performing this year.

Fourth-placed Kawasaki Frontale missed the chance to go second in the Japanese first division after they were held to a goalless draw at home by promoted Montedio Yamagata.