NEWS

Defending holders Gamba Osaka will travel to Kashima to play their quarterfinal match with Antlers at Kashima Stadium on December 12, it was announced Tuesday along with the other venues for the remaining stages of the Emperor’s Cup.

In the other quarterfinal matches, J. League leaders Kawasaki Frontale will visit Division Two side Vegalta Sendai, while AFC Champions League semifinalists Nagoya Grampus will play at home against FC Gifu, also a Division Two side. Shimizu S-Pulse will host J1 counterparts Albirex Niigata in Shimizu.
In the semifinals on December 29, the winners of the Kashima-Gamba game will face either Kawasaki or Sendai at the National Stadium in Tokyo, while the winners of the Nagoya-Gifu game and the Shimizu-Niigata game will meet at Ecopa Stadium in Shizuoka.
The final will be staged at the National Stadium on January 1.
The winners of the season-closing competition will join the J. League’s top three finishers in next year’s AFC Champions League.

Match schedule:
Quarterfinals
On December 12
M81, Kashima Antlers vs. Gamba Osaka, 3 p.m., Kashima Stadium, Kashima
M82, Vegalta Sendai vs. Kawasaki Frontale, 1 p.m., Yurtec Stadium, Sendai
M84, Shimizu S-Pulse vs. Albirex Niigata, 1 p.m., Outsourcing Stadium, Nihondaira
On December 13
M83, Nagoya Grampus vs. FC Gifu, 3 p.m., Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya

Semifinals
On December 29
M85, Winners of M81 vs. Winners of M82, 3 p.m. National Stadium, Tokyo
M86, Winners of M83 vs. Winners of M84, 1 p.m. Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka

Final
On January 1, 2010
M87, Winners of M85 vs. Winners of M86, 2 p.m., National Stadium, Tokyo