KOBE (Kyodo) -- Second-half goals from Taisei Miyashiro and Tetsushi Yamakawa steered Vissel Kobe to a 2-0 home win over relegation-threatened Jubilo Iwata on Friday as the holders moved two points clear at the top of the J-League first division.

Kobe rose to 67 points and above Sanfrecce Hiroshima ahead of their game on Sunday, while Iwata stayed 18th, four points off safety on 35 points, with four games left to play.

After falling to a damaging 2-0 home defeat to FC Tokyo in their last league outing two weeks ago, Kobe have three straight wins across all competitions with forward Miyashiro netting in each of them.

"I've been looking for it patiently, so I'm relieved," he said after reaching 10 goals in the league for the first time. "I want to thank my teammates and will look to keep scoring."

Midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi had a fierce close-range shot from an angle saved by Eiji Kawashima in the 33rd minute, while the former Japan keeper also tipped over Miyashiro's header late in the half but dominant Kobe made a breakthrough two minutes after the interval.

Miyashiro picked the ball up on the left inside his own half before Ideguchi played a quick diagonal pass to Yuya Osako. The former Japan forward initially lost the ball but immediately recovered to find a run into the box by Miyashiro, who lifted his shot past Kawashima.

Their second goal arrived just six minutes later as unmarked defender Tetsushi Yamakawa, without having to jump, placed his header inside the near post off a right corner from Takahiro Ogihara, and Iwata ended the game without really testing Kobe's goal.

In the day's other match, Kashima Antlers cruised to a 3-1 win away to Kawasaki Frontale to move up to 57 points.