After mostly exorcising their reputation as "silver collectors" by claiming two straight J. League first division titles, Kawasaki Frontale have at last fully shed that reputation by claiming the Levain Cup in their fifth attempt.
Although Frontale's hopes of becoming the second club to achieve a league three-peat are all but extinguished, its fans will surely be satisfied in a third straight season with a major title — the kind of success long anticipated during the team's never-ending string of runner-up finishes.
While the club's focus will now turn to filling the biggest gaps in the trophy case at Todoroki, namely the elusive Emperor's Cup and Asian Champions League, Kawasaki will unfortunately be denied a chance at an intercontinental title contested by every J. League Cup winner since 2008.