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Vissel Kobe players and their manager Takayuki Yoshida (far R) celebrate winning the J-League first-division title after a 2-1 win at home to Nagoya Grampus at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, western Japan, on Nov. 25, 2023. (Kyodo)
Vissel Kobe clinched their first J-League top-flight title on Saturday by beating Nagoya Grampus 2-1 at home in the penultimate round of the season.
Kobe moved up to 68 points, four clear of 2022 champions Yokohama F Marinos in second place, to seal their second major trophy after winning the Emperor's Cup in the 2019 season.
Manager Takayuki Yoshida's team started the season strongly and let Spanish icon Andres Iniesta leave in July, having barely called upon the Spanish World Cup winner during the campaign.
Former Japan forward Yuya Osako led from the front scoring 22 goals, currently top of the J1 scoring chart, with Kobe's 59 goals this term only bettered by Marinos. Their defense conceded 29 goals, also second-best in the league, behind Urawa Reds.
"I came back to Japan for this and I couldn't be happier," said Osako, who returned to the J1 in the summer of 2021 after seven-and-a-half seasons in Germany. "We just believed in ourselves and trusted our teammates. It's really great to have won and I'm thankful to everyone."
A quick-fire double from Kobe in the first half, both set up by Osako, proved enough to get them over the line at Noevir Stadium after an intense 90 minutes.
Vissel Kobe's Haruya Ide (L) opens the scoring against Nagoya Grampus in the first half of a J-League penultimate round football match on Nov. 25, 2023, at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, western Japan. (Kyodo)
Haruya Ide gave Kobe a 12th-minute lead after Osako controlled a loose ball with his thigh and played a through ball in the air into the box. With keeper Mitch Langerak to beat, Ide kept his composure to side-foot in off the right-hand post with his first touch.
Osako was the architect again as the home team doubled the advantage two minutes later. Daiju Sasaki released the ball to his left and Osako squeezed in a cross from inside the box for unmarked Yoshinori Muto, who steered his first-time volley past the Australian goalkeeper.
Vissel Kobe's Yuya Osako (R, facing camera) celebrates their opening goal with his teammates during the first half of a J-League first-division match at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, western Japan, on Nov. 25, 2023. (Kyodo)
Kobe youth product Sasaki robbed the ball off the Nagoya backline but steered his shot wide in the 29th minute before the visitors pulled one back on the half-hour mark.
Kobe keeper Daiya Maekawa's long ball was headed straight back into the Vissel half by Nagoya center-back Haruya Fujii, with a high bounce falling nicely for Kasper Junker to poke home.
The Danish forward nearly volleyed an equalizer in the 42nd minute after right wing-back Ryoya Morishita danced past his marker and sent in a cross, but defender Tetsushi Yamakawa cleared the ball off the line. Nagoya center-back Shinnosuke Nakatani then headed narrowly wide in a nervy end to the half for the home side.
Vissel Kobe's Yoshinori Muto (far R) scores the team's second goal against Nagoya Grampus in the first half of a J-League first-division match on Nov. 25, 2023, at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, western Japan. (Kyodo)
Kobe had the first real chance of the second half in the 62nd minute following a defensive mix-up, but Muto's header was blocked. Osako blasted over six minutes later, before substitute Jean Patric also shot over in the 74th minute.
Nagoya's substitute winger Naoki Maeda rattled the bar with his weaker right foot two minutes later off Kensuke Nagai's left-wing cross, but that was as close as the visitors came before Kobe players and supporters went into raptures at the final whistle.
"I'm sure the supporters have been waiting a long time for this day," said manager Yoshida, who played six years at Kobe and took charge of his former club for the third time last year.
"We've looked to improve each day. I've shown the players video after every game, showing what we're not doing right, and we've made adjustments each time on our way here. It's been a steady process and I'm proud of them."
Vissel Kobe players celebrate after clinching their first J-League top-flight title by beating Nagoya Grampus in on Nov. 25, 2023, at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, western Japan. (Kyodo)
Elsewhere, Yokohama FC are all but certain to be the one team relegated this season after losing 1-0 at home against Shonan Bellmare. Yokohama are on 29 points and trail 17th-placed Kashiwa Reysol by three points, with a 12-goal disadvantage in goal difference.
Shonan secured their safety after improving to 34 points, level with Gamba Osaka, who lost 3-0 at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, but are also safe. Kashiwa drew 2-2 at home to Sagan Tosu.
Avispa Fukuoka saw off Urawa 3-2, Consadole Sapporo beat FC Tokyo 3-1 and Kyoto Sanga edged Cerezo Osaka 1-0 in three fixtures all won by away teams.
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