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[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Nagoya Grampus Win the Levain Cup Final in a Penalty Shootout

Grampus squandered 2-0 and 3-2 leads before capitalizing on the winner-take-all bonanza of the Levain Cup penalty shootout against Albirex Niigata.

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Nagoya Grampus players celebrate the team's triumph in the 2024 YBC Levain Cup final on November 2 at National Stadium in Tokyo. (©KYODO)

Read the full story on SportsLook - [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Nagoya Grampus Win the Levain Cup Final in a Penalty Shootout

Late drama decided the winner of the 2024 YBC Levain Cup, aka the J.League Cup.

Nagoya Grampus displayed poise in crunch time during a penalty shootout, winning it 5-4 against Albirex Niigata on Saturday, November 2.

The soccer match was tied 2-2 after the end of the second half and 3-3 after extra time at Tokyo's National Stadium.

Grampus players Sho Inagaki, Mitch Langerak, Ryosuke Yamanaka, Kasper Junker and Yuya Yamagishi notched goals in the penalty shootout.

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Yuya Yamagishi scores on Grampus' third penalty kick of the shootout. That play sealed the win. (KYODO)

Albirex forward Motoki Nagakura missed the team's second attempt in the shootout. Teammates Hiroki Akiyama, Thomas Jok Deng, Yuji Hoshi and Yota Komi had successful attempts.

On a rainy day in the nation's capital, after the match was decided, Nagoya manager Kenta Hasegawa expressed pride in goalkeeper Langerak's ability and the team's spirited fans.

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Nagoya Grampus manager Kenta Hasegawa (©SANKEI)

"We have Mitch in our goal and I backed our chance if it were to go to penalties," Hasegawa said, according to Kyodo News. "The Nagoya fans kept cheering us on till the end in the rain and it was great to see their smiles."

In the ongoing J.League season, which will wrap up in early December, Grampus sit in ninth place and Albirex are 16th among 20 teams entering the 35th round of matches on Sunday, November 3.

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Nagoya Grampus forward Kensuke Nagai scores one of his two first-half goals against Albirex Niigata in the Levain Cup final. (KYODO)

Back-and-Forth Drama in the Levain Cup 

Kensuke Nagai gave Grampus 1-0 and 2-0 leads on first-half goals in the 31st and 42nd minutes.

Kaito Taniguchi pulled Albirex within 2-1 in the 71st minute and teammate Komi scored the equalizer on a penalty kick in second-half injury time, sending the match into extra time.

In the 93rd minute, Grampus regained the lead when Katsuhiro Nakayama scored on a deflection.

Albirex forward Nagakura, who had a tournament-best six goals, threaded the ball to Komi with a well-placed pass in the 111th minute. Komi capitalized on the scoring opportunity, booting the ball past Langerak.

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Grampus goalkeeper Mitch Langerak makes a save in the second half. (KYODO)

A 36-year-old Australian, Langerak was named YBC Levain Cup MVP. He has played for Grampus since 2018. But Langerak will join Melbourne Victory, for whom he began his pro career in 2007, in the 2025 campaign.

On the official J.League X account, Langerak's accomplishments in the tournament were summed up: "A wall in goal and a true leader on the field. Mitchell Langerak delivered a stunning performance with crucial saves throughout the journey, leading Nagoya Grampus to glory. A well-deserved MVP for an unforgettable run!" 

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Nagoya's Sho Inagaki (left) and Niigata's Kaito Taniguchi compete in the first half. (KYODO)

Levain Cup Facts and Figures

In the 2023 Levain Cup final, Avispa Fukuoka earned a 2-1 victory over the Urawa Reds at National Stadium. 

The Kashima Antlers have won the most tournament titles (six), most recently lifting the championship trophy in 2015.

Grampus won its first title in this event in 2021, topping Cerezo Osaka 2-0 at Saitama Stadium. 

The J.League Cup was first held in 1992 and has been contested annually ever since, except for 1995 due to scheduling issues.

In its recent history, from 2018-23, the tournament was open to J.League first- and second-division clubs. This year's competition, which began in March, featured all 60 J.League clubs ― from J1, J2 and J3 (the third division).

Continue reading the full story, which includes news items on baseball, basketball and more, on SportsLook.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) @ed_odeven

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