Yuto Sato fired Kyoto ahead early on and the home side looked to be heading for only their second win in Group A until Maki bagged the equaliser with five minutes remaining.

Tsuda then grabbed the winner a minute from time to give Nagoya their fourth victory in five games, moving them up to 12 points.

While Vissel Kobe could still mathematically catch them for first place in the group, Nagoya would at the very least be one of the top two runners-up who would join the four group winners and Japan's Asian Champions League representatives Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka in the last eight.

Vissel could still join them in the quarter-finals after a brace by Keisuke Kurihara gave them a 2-1 victory over last-placed Urawa Reds.

Shimizu S-Pulse are within touching distance of the knockout round after Jungo Fujimoto's equaliser two minutes from time earned them a 1-1 draw at FC Tokyo in Group B.

S-Pulse have 11 points, three ahead of second-placed FC Tokyo and four in front of Jubilo Iwata, who trounced Tokyo Verdy 3-0 in the other Group B match.

JEF United Chiba still need a point to seal first place in Group C after being held to a 1-1 draw by Kashiwa Reysol as Alex's 78th minute equaliser cancelled out Reinaldo's first-half opener for JEF United.

Kawasaki Frontale kept their quarter-final hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Consadole Sapporo.

Yokohama F Marinos remain in first place in Group D after coming from two goals down to hold Oita Trinita to a 2-2 draw.

First-half goals from Ryo Kobayashi and Shingo Suzuki put Oita in control but Yuzi Kurihara and Yukihiro Yamase responded in the final 21 minutes to earn the Marinos a point.

Omiya Ardija and Albirex Niigata drew 1-1 in the other Group D game.