J1 League Final
Kashima 2 - 0 FT Vissel Kobe
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
↓ Y. Kuwasaki ↑M. Hidaka 25'
↓ Caetano ↑K. Yamada 45'+2
HT
↓ K. Nagato ↑R. Hirose 46'
51' K. Chinen
63' ↓ Y. Higuchi ↑G. Shibasaki
63' ↓ A. Cavric ↑H. Tokuda
63' ↓ S. Morooka ↑H. Hayashu
68' H. Hayashu (Leo Ceara)
69' ↓ R. Koike ↑Y. Matsumura
70' K. Anzai (G. Shibasaki)
↓ Y. Osako ↑R. Komatsu 84'
88' ↓ K. Chinen ↑K. Tsukui
90'+2 I. Sekigawa
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Kashima
Goalkeepers
Yuji Kajikawa 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
93
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Ryuta Koike
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
69
Total Mins
69
Entry
Naomichi Ueda 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
64%
Duel Win %
Ikuma Sekigawa
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
80%
Duel Win %
Koki Anzai 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Midfielders
Kimito Nono 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
13%
Pass Acc
Kei Chinen 
MAGNET
67
Activity
67
Activity
40
Passes
27
Duels
Yuta Higuchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
63
Entry
Shu Morooka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
63
Entry
Forwards
Aleksandar Čavrić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
63
Entry
Léo Ceará 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.5
Rating
BENCH
Taiki Yamada 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Keisuke Tsukui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
6
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryoya Ogawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Haruki Hayashi 
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
30
Minutes
7
Rating
Gaku Shibasaki
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
30
Minutes
6.7
Rating
Kento Misao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Matsumura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
24
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryotaro Araki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Homare Tokuda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vissel Kobe
Goalkeepers
Shuichi Gonda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
93
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Gotoku Sakai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
93
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Boniface Nduka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
93
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Caetano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
47
Total Mins
45
Entry
Diego
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
89%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Yosuke Ideguchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
93
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuya Kuwasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
25
Entry
Yuta Goke 
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Yoshinori Muto
MAGNET
48
Activity
48
Activity
29
Passes
19
Duels
Yuya Osako
LATE SHIFT
6
Late Mins
6
Late Mins
84
Total Mins
84
Entry
Katsuya Nagato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
BENCH
Daiya Maekawa
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Kaito Yamada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
46
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rikuto Hirose
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Nanasei Iino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mitsuki Hidaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Takashi Inui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kento Hamasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ren Komatsu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jean Patric
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/30/2026 | Vissel Kobe | 5 - 0 | Kashima | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 10/17/2025 | Vissel Kobe | 0 - 0 | Kashima | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 03/29/2025 | Kashima | 1 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Mercari Stadium |
| 09/25/2024 | Kashima | 0 - 3 | Vissel Kobe | Emperor Cup | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 06/30/2024 | Vissel Kobe | 3 - 1 | Kashima | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 05/19/2024 | Kashima | 1 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Kashima Soccer Stadium |
| 10/21/2023 | Vissel Kobe | 3 - 1 | Kashima | J1 League | Japan National Stadium |
| 04/15/2023 | Kashima | 1 - 5 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Kashima Soccer Stadium |
| 09/07/2022 | Vissel Kobe | 0 - 1 | Kashima | Emperor Cup | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 07/16/2022 | Kashima | 1 - 1 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Kashima Soccer Stadium |
05/30/2026
10/17/2025
03/29/2025
09/25/2024
06/30/2024
05/19/2024
10/21/2023
04/15/2023
09/07/2022
07/16/2022
Kashima Win
Vissel Kobe Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Kashima Win the Battle, Vissel Kobe Win the War at Kashima Soccer Stadium
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 49/100. A spirited second-leg victory restored local pride, but the insurmountable aggregate deficit ultimately crowned the visitors as champions.
Opening Act
Trailing by an insurmountable five goals after a disastrous first leg, Kashima faced a monumental mountain to climb in front of their home support. The hosts needed a literal miracle to turn the tide and started the match with off-the-charts Intensity, peppering the opposition penalty box from the very first whistle. They edged possession with 54% of the ball and generated a staggering barrage of 15 corners, pinning Vissel Kobe back into a desperate defensive block. Despite this overwhelming early pressure, Shuichi Gonda proved to be an absolute wall in goal. The veteran keeper produced seven crucial saves to keep the first half scoreless, expertly absorbing the initial barrage and sapping the fragile momentum out of the desperate home side.
The Pivot
The elusive breakthrough finally arrived during a frantic and chaotic two-minute spell midway through the second half. In the 68th minute, substitute H. Hayashu struck gold for the hosts, ruthlessly slotting home a precise cutback from Léo Ceará to finally breach the resilient defence. Before the visitors could even catch their breath and reset their defensive lines, the home side struck another crushing blow. Right on the 70-minute mark, G. Shibasaki picked out Koki Anzai, who drove the ball into the net to suddenly double the advantage on the night. This unexpected lightning-fast blitz brought the stadium back to life, briefly teasing the impossible idea of a historic comeback to the roaring crowd.
Resolution
Despite the late surge in belief, the ultimate Stakes of this two-legged final proved simply too high to overcome. Kashima continued to press aggressively, registering an impressive 18 shots in total by the final whistle, but they could not find the remaining three goals required to drag the tie into extra time. Vissel Kobe shifted gears to effectively manage the clock in the dying minutes, absorbing the pressure and ensuring their 2-0 defeat on the night was a mere academic exercise. The referee's final whistle confirmed a comprehensive 5-2 aggregate triumph, sparking wild and emotional celebrations in the away end as the visitors were officially crowned J1 League champions. A fitting end to a gruelling campaign, showing both resilience under fire and the value of their first-leg dominance.
Key Questions
What does this mean for Kashima's season?
It serves as a bittersweet conclusion. Winning 2-0 on the night restores immense local pride, but losing the league title 5-2 on aggregate will sting heading into next season.
How did Koki Anzai change the game?
His rapid 70th-minute goal immediately following the opener created a late surge of momentum, turning a simple consolation effort into a genuine scare for the champions.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Mountain to Climb: Kashima Chases an Impossible Miracle
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 96/100. Down 5-0 after a brutal first leg, Kashima must deliver the greatest comeback in domestic history to deny Vissel Kobe the trophy.
The Setup
The stage is set for the second leg of the Final at Mercari Stadium on June 06, 2026. Kashima face an astonishing five-goal aggregate deficit after a devastating first-leg collapse. Despite carrying a flawless Form rating into the tie thanks to a five-match domestic winning streak, their cup dreams hang by a thread. Vissel Kobe arrive with ultimate Stakes knowing they simply need to avoid a historic catastrophe to lift the silverware. The Balance tips slightly toward the hosts on the night, but overcoming a 5-0 margin is a monumental task.
Key Battle
The spotlight falls on Léo Ceará for the home side, who must ignite the attack early if there is to be any genuine hope. He goes head-to-head against Vissel Kobe's talisman Yuya Osako. With the away side already boasting incredible Stars quality due to Osako's devastating first-leg hat-trick, Kashima's defense must find a way to silence him while throwing everything forward.
Our Prediction
Expect Kashima to come out swinging and win the match 2-1 on the night, but Vissel Kobe will comfortably secure the aggregate victory. The visitors will absorb the early pressure, concede a consolation goal or two, but ultimately manage the clock to claim the trophy.