Vegalta Sendai's Takuma Nishimura celebrates after scoring the winning goal in a J-League first-division match against Gamba Osaka at Panasonic Stadium on Sept. 12, 2021. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Vegalta Sendai secured three vital points in their battle against relegation from the J-League first division on Sunday, beating Gamba Osaka 3-2 following a first-half brace by Cayman Togashi and a late winner from substitute Takuma Nishimura.

       The gutsy road win at Panasonic Stadium lifted Sendai one spot to 18th but left them with plenty of work remaining if they are to avoid dropping to the J2 as one of the bottom four clubs in the 20-team J1 standings.

       Togashi headed in the opener in the 37th minute, but the hosts hit back two minutes later from the head of Shinya Yajima.

       Sendai went back in front with three minutes left in the half, as Togashi hit the target with another header, this time off a Rikiya Uehara free kick.

       A Koji Hachisuka handball allowed Patric to equalize from the penalty spot in the 60th minute.

       A 66th-minute substitute, Nishimura struck the winner on a counterattack with 11 minutes left in regulation, beating Gamba keeper Masaaki Higashiguchi from just inside the area.

       "It had been a long time since I scored, so I was glad to help the team with this goal," said Nishimura, whose previous goal came on June 21 against Kashima Antlers.

       "We were finding space and it definitely felt like there could be a chance."

       In Sunday's other J1 clash, Kashiwa Reysol won 1-0 away to FC Tokyo thanks to a ninth-minute goal from Mao Hosoya.

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