It wasn’t so long ago that Vissel Kobe couldn’t buy a title for love nor money, but Saturday’s 1-0 win against Kansai rivals Gamba Osaka in the Emperor’s Cup final showed that the current squad is made of sterner stuff when it comes to winning trophies.
Over the years, Vissel made more headlines for signing aging European players like Andres Iniesta, Lukas Podolski, and David Villa than it did for its results on the pitch, but that started to change in 2019 when the club claimed its first piece of silverware by winning the Emperor’s Cup.
Vissel built on that last year by being crowned J. League champions for the first time — a title Takayuki Yoshida’s men are also in pole position to defend this season, sitting three points ahead of Sanfrecce Hiroshima with two games remaining.
Indeed, the mood after the weekend win at National Stadium in Tokyo demonstrated the shifting expectations at the club. While there was of course happiness on display amongst the players, it was tempered with a steely focus on achieving more glory in the coming weeks.
“We won the title so of course I’m happy, but in a strange way it just feels like we’re looking ahead to what comes next,” goalkeeper Daiya Maekawa said after the game.
“Gamba Osaka is a really strong team so beating them naturally gives us confidence. Having won this title gives us confidence and puts us in good shape as we aim to also win the league.
“I think it’s big for us to have won this title twice. We don’t have that much experience of winning titles, so to do so again here shows that, little by little, we’re developing a strong mentality and have become a really strong team.”
Vissel were certainly made to work for the win against Gamba, spending most of the first half on the back foot and finding themselves fortunate that Gamba midfielder Dawhan was unable to convert a couple of terrific headed chances.
They came out with a firmer grasp on proceedings after the break, however, taking the lead through Taisei Miyashiro in the 64th minute before showing their newfound steel to close out the win.
“I scored the goal, but I feel like it was made by the team,” said Miyashiro, who also won the Emperor’s Cup last year with Kawasaki Frontale.
“We had to persevere today, Gamba played some great soccer and in the first half we had a tough time.
“As a player here, I really feel there is a great environment and atmosphere in training and games,” he added. “The atmosphere of a strong team. I feel that from training, which means when I step onto the pitch I have confidence.”
Center back Tetsushi Yamakawa was keen to take the latest trophy in his stride, and insisted that Vissel remain far from the finished article.
“We have a few games left and just have to make sure we keep doing the same as we have done until this point, just stick to what we have been doing, keep going and make sure we keep improving,” the 27-year-old said.
“Last year we were champions in the league and this year we have started by picking up one title with this Emperor’s Cup. I think we have become a team that is capable of challenging for titles every year, and alongside that we are producing results.
“I think Vissel are still in the process of improving, and I want to make sure we don’t allow that process to stop.”
The games will continue to come thick and fast for Vissel domestically and in continental competition over the next couple of weeks. First up on Tuesday they host Australia’s Central Coast Mariners in the AFC Champions League Elite, before potentially being able to seal the J1 title away to Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday. Three days later, they travel to play Pohang Steelers in South Korea, after which they will conclude their league commitments — possibly with another trophy ceremony — at home to Shonan Bellmare on Dec. 8.
But Yamakawa isn’t fazed by the imposing schedule, believing Vissel now have all the tools they need to last the distance.
“We have a series of matches remaining in the ACL and the J. League that bring with them a level of tension — as was of course also the case in today’s game,” he said.
“We are able to turn that stress or pressure into strength though, and I think that’s where our experience in the title race from last year will start to show.”
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