The third round of the 96th Emperor’s Cup took place on Thursday with 12 games played out in sometimes torrential rains across Japan.

At Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick propelled Yokohama F. Marinos to a 4-0 win over Tokyo Verdy in the teams’ first meeting since 2008.

Other MEIJI YASUDA J1 League sides earned big results at home, with Omiya Ardija breezing to a 5-0 win over fellow promoted side Jubilo Iwata and Shonan Bellmare dispatching Tokushima Vortis 4-0.

Some teams needed a full 120 minutes, with Yoshito Okubo’s brace helping to propel Kawasaki Frontale to a 4-1 win over JEF United Chiba and Nguyen Tuan Anh scoring the winner in Yokohama FC’s 3-2 win against AC Nagano Parceiro.

At Yurtec Stadium, Honda FC stayed alive as the only non-J.League representative with a 2-1 win over the J3’s Grulla Morioka.

Thursday’s 12 winners will join AFC Champions League participants Urawa Reds, FC Tokyo, Gamba Osaka and Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Round of 16, which will take place in mid-November.