J. League champion Kawasaki Frontale lifted their fifth major trophy in four years on Friday, defeating Gamba Osaka 1-0 at Tokyo’s National Stadium to claim their first-ever Emperor’s Cup and round out their 2020 domestic double.
Frontale, known for years as Japanese soccer’s “silver collector” for their string of second-place finishes across domestic competitions, completed their silverware collection having won the J. League, Levain Cup, Super Cup and Emperor’s Cup in a four-season span between 2017-2020. Friday’s result came four years after Frontale’s first Emperor’s Cup final appearance ended in a defeat to Kashima Antlers.
“We aimed to win multiple titles this year, and the players did so incredibly well in the league that we didn’t want those results to be erased with the final result, so it was important for us to win,” Frontale manager Toru Oniki said. “It was a tough game but the players worked hard.”