SAPPORO, Japan (Interstat) — Nagoya Grampus opened its J1 League campaign with a commanding 3-1 road victory over Consadole Sapporo on Friday, defying pre-match projections in a match that saw four goals scored in a frantic second half.

The Week 23 fixture, played before a crowd of 17,431 at Sapporo Atsubetsu Park Stadium, delivered a result that flipped the script on statistical forecasts. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw, and its ELO system gave the home side a slight 52.4 percent probability to win. Nagoya Grampus rendered those predictions moot with an efficient attacking performance.

The visitors established control early. Nagoya striker Luka Zorić broke the deadlock in the 11th minute, giving Grampus a lead they would not relinquish. The first half concluded 1-0, but the match exploded after the restart.

In a remarkable three-minute span early in the second half, Nagoya doubled its advantage. Kwaku Osei Bonsu found the net in the 53rd minute, and just four minutes later, Đorđe Jovanović scored to stretch the lead to 3-0, seemingly putting the game out of reach for Sapporo.

The home side, however, found a response. Midfielder Kazuki Fukai, a native of Hokkaido, pulled a goal back for Consadole Sapporo in the 65th minute, injecting a brief moment of hope for the home supporters.

Any momentum was swiftly extinguished by Nagoya’s midfield. Brazilian Hugo Leonardo Silva Serejo, who entered the match as a key performer, restored the three-goal cushion in the 77th minute with a well-taken strike. Fellow Brazilian attacker Mateus dos Santos Castro then put the final exclamation point on the Nagoya victory, scoring in the 81st minute to make it 4-1.

Consadole Sapporo midfielder Ryota Aoki secured a late consolation goal in the second minute of stoppage time, finishing from close range, but it did little to alter the comprehensive nature of the result.

The match was a physical contest, with three yellow cards issued. Nagoya’s Ryoya Morishita was booked in the 39th minute. Sapporo’s Hiroki Miyazawa received a yellow card in the 57th minute, and teammate Daiki Suga was cautioned in the 89th minute.

The victory gives Nagoya Grampus a perfect start to the J1 League season, moving its record to 1-0-0. Consadole Sapporo begins its campaign at 0-1-0. The records are identical across all competitions for both clubs.

Nagoya’s attacking trio of Zorić, Osei Bonsu and Jovanović provided the early foundation, while the Brazilian duo of Serejo and Castro sealed the victory with their second-half contributions. For Sapporo, the efforts of Fukai and the persistent Aoki offered minor positives in a match where the home side was consistently second-best.

The result provides a strong start for Nagoya Grampus as they look to climb the J1 League table, while Consadole Sapporo is left to regroup after a disappointing opening performance in front of their home fans.