TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Defending champions Vissel Kobe were held to a 1-1 draw by Tokyo Verdy but extended their lead in the J-League title race Sunday as second-place Sanfrecce Hiroshima continued to flounder in a 3-0 loss to Urawa Reds.

With two rounds of the season remaining, Takayuki Yoshida's Kobe side improved to 68 points, three points clear of Hiroshima, who have now lost three in a row heading into the international break.

Tetsushi Yamakawa's seventh-minute strike appeared to be enough for Kobe before a 91st-minute own goal gave the hosts a share of the points at Ajinomoto Stadium.

Yamakawa controlled with his chest and lashed home a deflected volley after an attempted corner kick clearance floated to him in the middle of the area. Kobe nearly doubled the lead late in the first half on a counterattack that culminated in Yoshinori Muto hitting the upright.

Having gone toe-to-toe with the champions for 90 minutes, Hiroshi Jofuku's Verdy side pulled level when Hiroto Yamami's curling attempt ricocheted into the net off the boot of Kobe defender Matheus Thuler.

At Saitama Stadium, former Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi completed the scoring with his first goal for his boyhood club since returning from Europe in September.

Haraguchi came off the bench late and found the net in the 86th minute. Yusuke Matsuo struck the opener on the stroke of 45 minutes and Bryan Linssen doubled the lead 11 minutes into the second half.