NEWS

Kashima Antlers overcame Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-0 to capture the Emperor's Cup on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Tokyo thanks to goals from Atsuto Uchida and Danilo.

The win meant the club completed the "double" following their J. League triumph.

Kashima won the annual season-closing tournament for the first time since 2000 and third time overall. It was the club's 11th title overall.

"Double happy," said a jubilant Kashima manager Oswaldo Oliveira, who managed to do the double in his first season with the Antlers.

Kashima played a fast-tempo passing game and took the upper hand nine minutes into the game. Japan Under-22 right-back Uchida played a neat one-two with Brazilian forward Marquinhos before striking a powerful angled shot from the right.

Kashima, who won the Cup in 1997 and 2000, came close to widening the lead through Marqunihos' header in the 55th minute and strike partner Yuzo Tashiro's close-range shot in the 63rd minute. But Hiroshima goalkeeper Takashi Shimoda showed good reactions to deny their attempts.

Sanfrecce, who will play in Division Two next season, struggled to find their game in the first half, a task made more difficult with young playmaker Yosuke Kashiwagi serving a suspension.

But the team from Hiroshima tried hard to rally in the second half with efforts from midfielder Koji Morisaki – a long-range blast in the 64th minute – and Japan international Yuichi Komano.

Sanfrecce manager Mihailo Petrovic made substitutions in an attempt to score but couldn't break down the solid Kashima defense.

Kashima instead found the net again three minutes into injury time. Substitute midfielder Danilo tapped in after a pass by substitute forward Atsushi Yanagisawa.

Petrovic commented: "We gave up a goal early in the game. Kashima was fresher and more aggressive than we were. It's not easy for us to play our game against a team like Kashima, which is the best team in the J. League. But our players fought hard to the end and the game might have been different if we had had Kashiwagi with us."

"Every game was tough for us, and I reminded our players of the significance of this traditional tournament to raise their motivation," Oliveira said. "I was expecting a tough game today against Sanfrecce, who had beaten Gamba [in the semifinal]. But we didn't allow them to have so many chances as our players worked well in defense."

The same two sides will face off against each other in the Xerox Super Cup – the curtain-raiser for the new season – on March 1 at the same venue.