NEWS

Three of the J. League’s title challengers – Kashima Antlers, Urawa Reds and Kawasaki Frontale – were upset in the Emperor’s Cup fifth round on Saturday, while Division Two club Sagan Tosu reached the quarterfinals for the first time.

Kashima failed to defend their Emperor’s Cup title after losing 4-3 to Shimizu S-Pulse in extra-time in Kashima. It’s the first time in nine years that the Ibaraki club has failed to make it into the last eight.
Brazilian forward Marquinhos broke a 1-1 tie with a penalty, while compatriot Marcinho cancelled out Takuma Edamura’s 105th-minute goal in the 115th minute.
But Nabisco Cup runners-up Shimizu continued to attack and Kazuki Hara poked in a cross from the right to net the winner in the 120th minute.
“I never thought we would lose so early in the tournament,” Kashima manager Oswaldo Oliveira lamented. “We had so many chances but failed to capitalize on them.”
In Marugame, Urawa lost to Yokohama F. Marinos 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time.
Marinos took a 2-0 lead thanks to a sixth-minute goal from Kenta Kano and a 21st-minute strike from Hayuma Tanaka.
But Reds forward Sergio Escudero pulled one back in the 44th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1, and two minutes after the break, defender Satoshi Horinouchi equalized. But Reds, played without Japan internationals Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Yuki Abe and goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki, struggled to break through the Marinos defense.
At 5-5 in the shootout, the Marinos’ sixth kicker, Yuzo Kurihara, converted his spot kick, but Urawa’s Keita Suzuki then saw his shot denied by Yokohama keeper Tetsuya Enomoto to end the game.
“It’s very disappointing,” Reds manager Gert Engels said. “We started poorly and gave up two early goals.”
Division Two champions Hiroshima stunned Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 with goals from Toshihiro Aoyama and Koji Morisaki.
Sagan Tosu, also from Division Two, triumphed over Vissel Kobe 5-2 in Kobe and booked a place in the quarterfinals the first time.
Norwegian forward Frode Johnsen struck twice in the first half to help Nagoya Grampus beat hosts Omiya Ardija 2-1 and win a place in the quarterfinals for the first time in six years.
Kashiwa Reysol beat Kyoto Sanga 1-0 with a 64th-minute winner from Brazilian forward Popo in Toyama.
Midfielder Yohei Kajiyama scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute as FC Tokyo came from behind to edge Albirex Niigata 3-2 in Tottori.
Gamba Osaka, who won the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, needed extra time to rally past Division Two side Ventforet Kofu 2-1 in the remaining fourth-round game on Sunday, with the winning goal coming from second-half substitute Hayato Sasaki.
Gamba will play Jubilo Iwata in the fifth round on November 26.
The quarterfinals will be held on December 20 with the semifinals slated for December 29. The final will take place on January 1 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. The Cup winners will earn a spot in next year’s AFC Champions League.