Brazilian midfielder Renatinho scored a hat-trick as Kawasaki Frontale secured a 3-2 win over JEF United Chiba on Sunday to keep hold of top spot in the J.League.

The defeat for Chiba, however, condemned them to relegation to Division Two for the first time in their 44-year history. Chiba had started well and took the lead in the 36th minute when midfielder Kohei Kudo reacted quickly after a shot from Seiichiro Maki had rebounded off the bar.

But the course of the game changed after the break as 10 minutes into the second half Frontale and Japan midfielder Kengo Nakamura was brought down by an opponent in the box and Renatinho converted the spot kick. The Brazilian midfielder was on target again in the 71st minute when he fired home from the right side of the box but Chiba thought they had secured a point when Takumi Wada levelled with two minutes remaining.

However, Renatinho made it 3-2 a minute into stoppage time when he struck after latching on to a Juninho pass. "JEF gave us a hard time as they had to win today," Kawasaki manager Takashi Sekizuka said. "But our players responded well today, not to repeat a similar mistake that they had made in the Nabisco Cup final. We'd like to take things one step a time."

In Kashima, J.League champions Kashima Antlers beat Montedio Yamagata 2-0 with goals from Shinzo Koroki and Marquinhos to secure their second successive win and stay one point behind Kawasaki. In Osaka, Brazilian forward Pedro Junior scored twice as Gamba Osaka eased to a 4-1 victory over visitors Kyoto Sanga.

Gamba, who have been unbeaten in the last eight matches, improved their points total to 54, four behind Frontale. But fourth-placed Shimizu S-Pulse were stunned by relegation-threatened Kashiwa Reysol as the hosts ran out 5-0 winners.

Elsewhere, Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat 10-man Omiya Ardija 1-0 thanks to Tomoaki Kajino's late goal while Montenegrin international Igor Burzanovic scored in the 16th minute as Nagoya Grampus edged Vissel Kobe 1-0.

In Saitama, Brazilian forward Edmilson struck the game's sole goal in the 50th minute to help the 10 men of Urawa Reds hold off FC Tokyo 1-0. Finally Division Two-bound Oita Trinita beat hosts Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1, and Albirex Niigata beat hosts Jubilo Iwata 2-0.