Kennedy, who was equal topscorer in the J.League last year, played a full game as the champions continued their good recent run of form which has coincided with his return from injury.

Ryota Isomura poked home the opener for Nagoya after 14 minutes, before Kennedy was involved in defence heading a goalbound effort from Cerezo's Rodrigo Pimpao onto the post.

Pimpao would equalise on 43 minutes, before Kennedy went on a driving run and forced the ball to Keiji Tamada on the left-side of the box where he fired in to make it 2-1.

Nagoya then claimed a penalty on 72 minutes when Kennedy chested the ball down for Isomura who was brought down by Cerezo defender Kota Fujimoto.

Kennedy stepped up for the resultant spotkick and emphatically fired it into the top right corner.

Cerezo pulled one back in stoppage-time through Takashi Inui but it ended 3-2, moving Nagoya up to sixth, just six points behind leaders Kashiwa Reysol.

Elsewhere, Socceroo Alex Brosque scored his second goal in three games as Shimizu S-Pulse lost 3-2 at home to Kawasaki Frontale.

Kawasaki had taken an early 2-0 lead, before Brosque pulled one back with a neat header on 21 minutes and Shinji Ono levelled on the stroke of half-time.

However, Frontale won the day thanks to Yu Kobayashi's 81st-minute backheeled winner which was deflected in off Eddy Bosnar.

Brosque and the weekend's two-goal hero Bosnar both played full games.

Meanwhile, Matt Spiranovic returned from suspension and played a full game in defence as Urawa Red Diamonds claimed a much-needed 3-0 victory over Avispa Fukuoka.

Spiranovic's efforts in defence drew praise from under-pressure Urawa boss Zeljko Petrovic.

In Russia's Premier League, Socceroo Luke Wilkshire put in a full shift as Dinamo Moscow won 2-0 at Spartak Moscow. Dinamo are now in fourth place.

In Sweden's Allsvenskan, Ante Covic dropped to the bench as IF Elfsborg drew 1-1 at IFK Goteborg. Elfsborg remain second in Sweden.