J. League first-stage champions the Yokohama F. Marinos and second-stage winners the Kashima Antlers will face off today in the first leg of the J. League Championship final at Yokohama International Stadium. The second leg is slated for Dec. 9 at Tokyo's National Stadium.

In their head-to-head league matches, the Antlers lead the Marinos with an 11-2-9 record but are winless against Yokohama over the last two seasons with two draws and two losses.

In this year's Nabisco Cup, however, the Antlers beat the Marinos 2-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals and drew 1-1 in the second leg on their way to victory in the tournament.

The Marinos won the J. League overall title in 1995, while the Antlers won in 1996 (played in a single-stage format) and 1998.

The regular season finale is expected to feature good football from both sides, pitting Kashima's solid defense and cohesive play against Yokohama's more fluid, attacking football.

Expect to see some interesting battles down the wings and in midfield as the two managers -- Yokohama's Argentinian World Cup-winning boss Ossie Ardiles, 48, and Kashima manager Toninho Cerezo, 45, a former star player for Brazil -- try and outfox each other.

The two managers were both world-class players and obviously have a lot of respect for each other.

"Toninho Cerezo was an excellent player," Ardiles commented. "He's still new to coaching but has got a good start. We played against each other in many games and this will be another one for us."

Cerezo and Ardiles both made their World Cup debuts in Argentina in 1978 and faced each other in the second round of the 1982 tournament in Spain, when Brazil beat Argentina 3-1.

Cerezo said of Ardiles: "Yokohama has a maestro. He was a wonderful player and is a wonderful coach now. He also has a fantastic player, (Shunsuke) Nakamura. It's fun to play a team like that."

Japan midfielder Nakamura is one of the players to watch in the two matches. The 22-year-old's brilliant free-kicks and through balls will be a major threat to Kashima.

But he won't be alone. Nakamura will try to link up with talented teammates Atsuhiro Miura on the left wing and forwards Yoo Sang Chul, Shoji Jo or Brazilian Edmilson. The Marinos scored 24 goals and gave up 24 goals in the second stage of the J. League.

But Nakamura can expected to be tightly marked by Kashima defensive midfielders Koji Kumagai and Koji Nakata. Miura will also have to battle for control of the wing against feisty Kashima right back Akira Narahashi.

Yokohama's Yoo scored 17 goals in 22 games this season, the third best in the league. Jo scored two goals in his first game with Yokohama on Nov. 8 after returning from Spain's Valladolid, but the 25-year-old former Japan striker said he is still on the way to regaining his top form.

But it won't be easy for the Yokohama forwards to get past Kashima's centerback duo of Yutaka Akita and Brazilian Fabinho -- perhaps the league's best defensive pairing. Kashima gave up the fewest goals (10) while scoring 28 in 15 games in the second stage.

"I feel more excited to play against a side that has good players like Yoo and Jo," Akita said.

The Antlers will be without forward Tomoyuki Hirase, who is out with a knee injury, after scoring a team-high 11 goals this season, but Atsushi Yanagisawa and Takayuki Suzuki have been doing well up front. Suzuki, who returned in mid-August for the second stage after a loan period at Kawasaki Frontale, has made a good impression in recent games and puts pressure on opposing defenses. Kashima, which finished eighth in the first stage, will feature Bismarck and Mitsuo Ogasawara in midfield, while dribbler Masashi Motoyama will probably come off the bench to add further spice to the Kashima attack.

The Antlers, who clinched the second stage with a tough showdown against Kashiwa Reysol last Sunday, are likely to have the momentum; it is up to the Marinos to try and disrupt their rhythm and well-organized football.

"Kashima is crafty and does whatever is needed to win," said Marinos goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi. "Playing against a team like them, it is important to keep your full concentration to the end of the game."

Ardiles added: "I expected our opponent would be the Antlers. I like the Antlers. They play wide, which is similar to our game, and have a good defensive unit. They will be good games with good performances from both sides."

In the championship final, the first game will last 90 minutes, no matter what the result is. If the teams are tied overall after 90 minutes of the second leg, they will play sudden-death extra time before going to a penalty shootout, if necessary.

The first leg kicks off today at 3 p.m., while the second leg will start at 7:30 p.m. next Saturday.