KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. -- The Kashima Antlers, the Division One second-stage champion, became the J. League champion after edging the first stage winner Jubilo Iwata 1-0 in extra time in the J. League Championship final second leg on Saturday night at Kashima Soccer Stadium, and taking the final on a 3-2 aggregate.

Kashima midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara decided the game and final with a tremendous free-kick from 20 meters out in the 101st minute, putting an end to a fierce battle with archrival Jubilo

It was the fourth overall season title for Kashima, which won the treble last season, following earlier wins in 1996 (played in a single-stage format), 1998 and 2000. Kashima became the second team in the league's history to win the season's overall title two years in a row after Verdy Kawasaki, now Tokyo Verdy 1969, did so in 1993 and 94.

"We are the champions!" a jubilant Kashima manager Toninho Cerezo said.

There were two major turning points in the game that ultimately affected the outcome of the final.

The first one was when Kashima midfielder Masashi Motoyama came off the bench early in the second half and the second was when Kashima goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata made a great save on a decisive shot from Jubilo midfielder Norihiro Nishi three minutes into extra time.

Jubilo manager Masakazu Suzuki said, "If we had had some luck we could have won today. If we had scored on that big chance in extra time. . . But in a big game like this, set pieces can decide things."

Jubilo gave away a 2-0 lead to Kashima in the first leg a week ago when the Antlers scored from two such set plays.

The second leg also turned out to be a a nail-biting battle as the two teams fought hard from the outset.

The team from Shizuoka had dominated the overall standings with 71 points to Kashima's 54 but Jubilo had to prove themselves in the playoffs.

The home team almost scored in the 28th minute when Koji Nakata connected with a header off a cross from Akira Narahashi but his effort hit the post.

After a scoreless first half, the Antlers bench made the first move, sending on Motoyama for Brazilian midfielder Bismarck five minutes after the break. The arrival of the tricky dribbler gave the momentum to the home team.

Kashima forward Tomoyuki Hirase got a shot off in the 53rd minute off a cross from Motoyama, which Iwata defender Go Oiwa blocked at the last moment.

Ten minutes later, Motoyama himself took a shot after faking Oiwa in the area, only to see it sail inches past the post.

Kashima midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara then had a blast three minutes later, which was saved by Jubilo's Dutch goalkeeper Arno van Zwam.

In the 82nd minute, Atsushi Yanagisawa came close to scoring after collecting a through ball from Ogasawara. But the 24-year-old Japan striker, rumored to be heading to Italy's Perugia after the season, blasted the shot over the bar - much to the disappointment of the 40,115 fans in the stands.

Three minutes into extra time, Jubilo almost broke the deadlock when Nishi forced Hitoshi Sogahata into a great save.

Five minutes later though, the game was decided when Nishi pushed Motoyama down to the ground to give a free-kick to the Antlers.

Ogasawara stepped up and fired the kick into the right corner of the net for the winner.

Ogasawara said, "I believed we would be able to score some time as we were making so many chances. But I'm glad I did that for our team."