Reysol complete storybook season
Earn first J. League title a season after winning J2 championship
SAITAMA — Kashiwa Reysol captured their first-ever J. League title just a year after winning the second division with a 3-1 victory over Urawa Reds on the final day of the season on Saturday.
Reysol went into the match at Saitama Stadium with a one-point lead over defending champions Nagoya Grampus and two in front of Gamba Osaka, knowing that a win would guarantee them the championship but that anything less could be fatal for their hopes of becoming the eighth champion club in J. League history.
Jorge Wagner and Wataru Hashimoto put the Chiba side firmly in the driver's seat with two-first half goals, but with Grampus and Gamba both leading in their matches, Yosuke Kashiwagi clouded the issue with a reply for Urawa eight minutes after the break.
With the home side pushing hard for the equalizer that would turn Kashiwa's title ambitions to dust, however, Akimi Barada struck to extend Reysol's lead and secure an unlikely title triumph for a club that spent last season rubbing shoulders with the likes of FC Gifu and Thespa Kusatsu.Today was the last day of the season, but we have led for around 82 percent of the way and we knew that we were getting closer to winning the title," said Reysol manager Nelsinho.- http://www.japantimes.co.jp
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