Kasper Junker opened his season's account with a hat-trick as Nagoya Grampus brushed aside FC Tokyo 3-1 in the J-League first division on Wednesday.
The Danish striker, who suffered a meniscal injury in his right knee in April and was making his first start since March 2, returned with a bang as Nagoya moved up to seventh on 22 points, seven points off the top.
"It was a very important win, and we said before that we needed to show our home fans our win," the 30-year-old said at their Toyota Stadium. "Last year, we didn't lose one game (here). We needed to show aggressiveness and hunger to win the game, and we did today."
Junker opened the scoring with a 33rd-minute penalty after FC Toyo's former Japan defender Masato Morishige tripped Takuya Uchida inside the box.
The visitors sent on Japan's U-23 Asian Cup-winning stars Kuryu Matsuki and Ryotaro Araki just past the hour mark, but Junker fired in low to double the lead from inside the area in the 66th minute following a pass from Ryuji Izumi.
Junker's superb back-header off Sho Inagaki's cross looped inside the far post five minutes later to complete his hat-trick, while Araki's 78th-minute goal, a volley off veteran Yuto Nagatomo's cutback, served only as consolation for the visitors who are fifth and level on points with Grampus.
Elsewhere, leaders Vissel Kobe saw off Avispa Fukuoka 1-0 thanks to Taisei Miyashiro's winner. J1 newcomers Machida Zelvia are second on goal difference after Australia forward Mitchel Duke netted late to give them a 2-1 win over Cerezo Osaka, while Kashima Antlers won 3-1 away to Sanfrecce Hiroshima to stay three points behind.
Urawa Reds are on 23 points after cruising to a 3-0 win over Kyoto Sanga, who dropped to bottom. Gamba Osaka drew 0-0 at Verdy Kawasaki, while Asian Champions League finalists Yokohama F Marinos lost 3-1 at Albirex Niigata.
Kashiwa Reysol edged Shonan Bellmare 2-1, Consadole Sapporo beat Jubilo Iwata 1-0 and Sagan Tosu hammered Kawasaki Frontale 5-2.
