Yokohama F. Marinos got payback for their heartbreaking defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the J. League title race with a 2-0 victory in the last Emperor's Cup final at the existing National Stadium on Wednesday.

First-half goals from Manabu Saito and Yuji Nakazawa in the space of four minutes sent Marinos — appearing in the New Year's Day showpiece for the first time in 21 years — past the two-time defending league champions and to the club's first trophy since winning the league in 2004.

Marinos, who had beaten Hiroshima twice this season, lost out on the J. League title on the final weekend to Sanfrecce, who overtook Yasuhiro Higuchi's men by one point to cap their dramatic turnaround.