16.04.2016 15:16 h

Okubo nets record goal as Kawasaki win again

Yoshito Okubo scored twice Saturday to bring his J-League goal tally to a record 161 and give Kawasaki Frontale a come-from-behind 4-2 away victory against FC Tokyo.

FC Tokyo striker Nathan Burns opened the scoring in the fourth minute. But the 33-year-old veteran Okubo equalised with an 11th minute right-foot goal.

FC Tokyo striker Ryoichi Maeda found the net in the 56th minute, but Okubo again equalised in the 77th minute with a penalty.

Yu Kobayashi and Elsinho also scored to give Kawasaki their fifth victory of the season, as well as two draws -- but no defeats.

"I am always aiming to score goals. I want to continue scoring," Okubo told local media after the match, attended by Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic.

The Franco-Bosnian coach praised the former Japan striker's performance but was non-committal when asked whether he would rejoin the national team, Kyodo News said.

"He is a real goal-getter. It's a shame he (Okubo) is not a bit younger, although I don't know yet (whether or not I will call him up)," the coach said.

A moment of silence was observed before the game for the victims of earthquakes that killed at least 35 people and forced more than 90,000 to evacuate their homes in the southern island of Kyushu. Kumamoto prefecture was among the hardest hit regions.

Football officials postponed two games planned in Kyushu -- one between Avispa Fukuoka and Nagoya Grampus and another between Sagan Tosu and Vissel Kobe.

Kashima Antlers managed an emotional 3-0 victory over Shonan Bellmare, with defender Naomichi Ueda -- who is from Kumamoto -- dedicating the victory to his home region.

"I went into the game absolutely wanting to win. I have been watching the news from Kumamoto all day and the number of deaths has been on the rise," Ueda said in a tearful post-match interview.

"People in Kumamoto cannot think about football right now. But the only thing I can do is to win games. I cannot do anything else but I am determined to do what I can -- anything, everything I can -- to cheer up Kumamoto."

Kawasaki top the table with 17 points, followed by Antlers and Urawa Reds with 16. Yokohama Marinos are behind them with 14.