Emperor's Cup Final 2025
Machida Zelvia beat last year's winners Vissel Kobe 3-1 at the National Stadium in Tokyo to claim their first major silverware.
A rather disappointing crowd of 31,414 in the 68,000 capacity stadium saw Zelvia goals from Shota Fujio (with a brace) and Yuki Soma with the Vissel reply coming from Taisei Miyashiro with the score at 3-0 to Zelvia.
Machida are led by former high school coach Go Kuroda who favors a functional long ball, counter-attacking style which includes conceding possession by kicking it out of play from your own kick off.
Vissel are more pleasing on the eye but were undone by mistakes by their keeper and defence and an a inability to take their chances when they came.
Some highlights of the day were Australian Mitch Duke's long ball to play in the pacy Zelvia winger Yuki Soma for the second goal and Shota Fujio's rocket for the third.
Soccerphile.com