Nineteen-year-old midfielder Gaku Shibasaki earned Kashima Antlers a date with fellow J. League heavyweights Urawa Reds in the final of the Nabisco Cup on Sunday, the first goal of his professional career earning the Antlers a fully deserved 2-1 win away to league champions Nagoya Grampus. Urawa, meanwhile, temporarily put their relegation worries aside by beating league leaders Gamba Osaka by the same scoreline courtesy of goals from Tsukasa Umesaki and Sergio Escudero.
Kashima had come from 2-0 down to beat Yokohama F Marinos 3-2 in extra time in the quarterfinals earlier in the week but looked all set to wrap up victory over Nagoya in regulation after completely dominating under bright autumn sunshine at Mizuho Stadium.
Yuya Osako opened the scoring after 10 minutes, but a string of world class saves from J. League Player of the Year Seigo Narazaki kept Nagoya in the match and Marcus Tulio Tanaka, not for the first time since joining Grampus, came up with a late goal to send the tie into extra time.
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