The footballers of Meiji University created history on Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 win at Montedio Yamagata, which makes them the first ever university side to triumph over a J1 outfit in the Emperor’s Cup.
Goals from Hirotaka Sanda, Hiroshi Yamamoto, and Toyofumi Sakano gave the students a victory that was as richly deserved as it was shocking, with ‘Mei-dai’ dominating their professional hosts for long periods of the game. Montedio coach Shinji Kobayashi admitted afterwards that his team had been caught off guard and were ultimately well beaten, remarking ‘the atmosphere was different to normal league games – the Emperor’s Cup can be quite scary’.
Although university teams have claimed the scalp of nine J2 opponents in the past, this was the first time in 42 matches since the J. League first kicked off in 1993 that a club from the top flight has suffered similar humiliation. The two other student teams playing this weekend were unable to repeat Meiji’s success, with the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya taking Jubilo Iwata to extra time before going down 3-1, while Fukuoka University were routed 6-1 at Gamba Osaka.
Three second-tier teams were, however, able to produce upsets at the homes of J1 opposition. Promotion-chasing Vegalta Sendai won 2-1 at Omiya Ardija thanks to an extra-time strike from North Korean international Ryang Yong-Gi, while Atsushi Katagiri’s scrambled winner - also in extra time - gave Ventforet Kofu victory by a similar scoreline at Kyoto Sanga. The day’s other big shock came at high-flying Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where a 90th-minute winner from Mike Havenaar sealed a 3-2 win for Sagan Tosu.
Elsewhere, it was bad news for the heroes of the last round, as fourth-tier sides Matsumoto Yamaga and Fukushima United lost out to FC Gifu and Yokohama F Marinos, respectively. Honda Lock of the third-tier Japan Football League went down 2-0 to Nagoya Grampus, whose AFC Champions League dreams had ended with a 2-1 home loss to Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia four days earlier.
Emperor’s Cup 3rd Round results
Kashima Antlers 3-0 Avispa Fukuoka
Vissel Kobe 1-0 Kashiwa Reysol
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-3 Sagan Tosu
Gamba Osaka 6-1 Fukuoka University
Yokohama F Marinos 4-1 Fukushima United FC
Kawasaki Frontale P-P Kataller Toyama
FC Tokyo P-P Thespa Kusatsu
Omiya Ardija 1-2 Vegalta Sendai (after extra time)
Matsumoto Yamaga FC 1-4 FC Gifu
Oita Trinita 2-3 JEF United Chiba
Nagoya Grampus 2-0 Honda Lock SC
Jubilo Iwata 3-1 National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya (after extra time)
Montedio Yamagata 0-3 Meiji University
Albirex Niigata 3-1 Yokohama FC
Shimizu S-Pulse 2-0 Consadole Sapporo
Kyoto Sanga 1-2 Ventforet Kofu (after extra time)
AFC Champions League semi-final second leg results
Umm-Salal (QAT) 1-2 Pohang Steelers (KOR) (Pohang won 4-1 on aggregate)
Nagoya Grampus 1-2 Al-Ittihad (KSA) (Al-Ittihad won 8-3 on aggregate)
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