KASHIWA, CHIBA PREF. – Brazilian striker Leandro set up the opener and scored a late penalty as Nabisco Cup holders Kashiwa Reysol kept the Suruga Bank Championship trophy in Japan with a 2-1 win over Copa Sudamericana champions Lanus of Argentina on Wednesday night.
Kaoru Takayama gave Reysol the lead just before halftime at Hitachi Stadium, netting with a deflected shot after a through pass from Leandro, before Tatsuya Masushima diverted Leandro Somoza’s shot into his own net just before the hour mark.
But Masato Kudo won a penalty when he was bundled over by Diego Braghieri and Leandro finished with aplomb from the spot, sending Lanus goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin the wrong way.
“Personally I didn’t play that well but the team won so I am glad,” said Takayama. “The goal was Leandro’s really. All I had to do was run it in.”
Ugly scenes marred the final stages as Lanus’ Diego Gonzalez was sent off in injury time and both sets of players continued to square up to each other even after the final whistle had been blown.
It was the fifth time in a row the Nabisco Cup champions have won the competition, following FC Tokyo in 2010, Jubilo Iwata in 2011 and Kashima the last two years.
In other soccer action, second-division Consadole Sapporo booked a third-round meeting with Shimizu S-Pulse in the Emperor’s Cup after a 5-0 hammering of Gunma side Tonan Maebashi Satellite.
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