The pacesetters found themselves 2-0 down before the hour mark as Genki Haraguchi and Shinzo Koroki put the Reds in charge.

Koroki then grabbed his second of the game after the break, meaning Hiroki Mizumoto's injury-time strike for Sanfrecce was nothing more than a consolation as the hosts held on to move into third position.

Yokohama F. Marinos moved to within a point of the leaders with their 2-1 victory over Shonan Bellmare. Marquinhos' penalty - his 12th goal of the season - secured all three points for Yasuhiro Higuchi's side after Ryota Kajikawa had equalised Kosuke Nakamachi's opener for Yokohama. 

Meanwhile, Omiya Ardija's poor form continued as they lost their fourth game in a row to drop out of the top three. Their 1-0 defeat away to Kashima Antlers means only bottom-placed Oita Trinitaare now  on a worse run of form in the J.League. 

Oita Trinita remain five points adrift at the foot of the table after a 2-0 defeat to Tokyo. Kazuma Watanabe scored twice to give Tokyo their ninth win of the season, moving them up to sixth in the table.

Elsewhere, Nagoya Grampus subjected Jubilo Iwata to their 10th defeat of the campaign in a five-goal thriller in Iwata.

Goals from Yoshizumi Ogawa, Josh Kennedy and Keiji Tamada secured the win for the visitors to push Jubilo down into 17th position.

There were also wins for Vegalta Sendai, Kashiwa Reysol, Albirex Niigata and Ventforet Kofu on Saturday.