FC Machida Zelvia spoiled Vissel Kobe's hopes of defending their title in the 105th Emperor's Cup final on Saturday, November 22.
Zelvia, led by forward Shota Fujio's two-goal effort, triumphed 3-1 at Tokyo's National Stadium to win the prestigious soccer tournament for the first time.
Fujio put his team ahead in the sixth minute, scoring on a header. And from that point on, manager Go Kuroda's squad held the lead.
Yuki Soma made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on a well-executed pass from Australian teammate Mitch Duke.
Zelvia pulled ahead 3-0 in the 56th minute, with Fujio demonstrating his strong kicking ability with a blast from beyond the 18-yard box.
In a quick analysis of his team's performance, Kuroda said its aggressive, determined play was a key factor.
"We talked about going into the game with more intensity than Kobe expected," Kuroda said, according to Kyodo News. "They kept that up until the final whistle. I'm proud of them."
Vissel, two-time defending J.League champions, were unable to rally past Zelvia and retain their Emperor's Cup crown. In November 2024, manager Takayuki Yoshida's club beat Gamba Osaka 1-0 in the final.
Instead, the Kansai-based side had to settle for the runner-up spot while avoiding getting shut out in the title match.
Taisei Miyashiro scored Vissel's lone goal in the 62nd minute.
Achieving a Goal in the Emperor's Cup Final
Fujio was thrilled to make a big impact in the title match, fulfilling his goal.
"Honestly, even before the match started, I was determined to seal the championship with my goals," Fujio said, according to Nikkan Sports. "That's exactly what happened, so I'm incredibly happy."
The 24-year-old Osaka native also paid tribute to Zelvia fans after the match.
"Truly, truly, throughout the match, your voices never faltered," Fujio said, according to the sports newspaper. "Your shouts pushed us forward. I want to share this championship with the supporters."
In the 2025 J.League campaign, Zelvia are only in their second season in the top division, having earned promotion to J1 for the first time before the previous season. Now, they are in seventh place with two matches remaining.
Vissel sit in third place heading into the penultimate weekend of the season.
The first-place Kashima Antlers have 70 points, followed by Kashiwa Reysol with 69.
Emperor's Cup History
Among J.League squads, the Urawa Reds have had the most success in the Emperor's Cup, winning eight titles (most recently in 2021).
Yokohama F Marinos have won the tournament seven times. Marinos' last title came in 2013.
The Emperor's Cup was first held in 1921 at Hibiya Park in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward.
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Moriyasu Oversees 100th Match as Samurai Blue Boss
Japan men's soccer national team manager Hajime Moriyasu marked his 100th match in charge on Tuesday, November 18.
At Tokyo's National Stadium, the Samurai Blue defeated Bolivia 3-0 in an international friendly. Daichi Kamada, Shuto Machino and Keito Nakamura provided the goals in the fourth, 71st and 78th minutes.
Japan picked up its 69th victory under Moriyasu. The squad also has 14 draws and 17 defeats with him at the helm.
"Today marked my 100th match in charge, but it is by no means an achievement of mine alone," Moriyasu, 57, told reporters. "We have reached this point through a collective effort — players, staff, and everyone involved — approaching each match together as one team."
He added, "I have been congratulated by so many people, including players, staff and supporters, and it has reminded me once again just how much support we have received along the way. I am filled with gratitude."
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Tokyo Deaflympics
Ukraine Holds Commanding Lead in Medal Tally
As of 7 PM on Friday, November 21, Ukraine was the overwhelming leader on the Tokyo Deaflympics medal table.
By the time noted above, Ukraine had amassed 47 medals (18 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze), nearly twice as many as any other nation.
China had 25 medals (six gold, 10 silver and nine bronze).
Japan has also had a strong showing at the Deaflympics, collecting 18 medals (four gold, four silver and 10 bronze) through Friday.
The 25th Summer Deaflympics will wrap up on November 26.
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Baseball
Dodgers' Roberts Shares Thoughts on Recipe for Success
Three-time World Series-winning manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers attended a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, November 19. His promotional visit was linked to the upcoming release of a TV commercial he made for Kinoshita Group Co, Ltd.
In the new commercial, Roberts commented on the success of the Dodgers during his managerial tenure, including back-to-back World Series titles in 2024 and '25.
"My job is to bring out the best in each unique individual and build the greatest team," Roberts said in the commercial.
Sharing additional perspective on his role as the manager, Roberts spoke about the importance of his relationships with Dodgers players.
"How you treat players starts with understanding what kind of people they are," Roberts said in the commercial, Sports Nippon reported. "Players don't care about your knowledge until they feel valued. I believe in this saying. So, first, I tell them, 'I care about you.' Then, I can push them hard, and from there, we can achieve great results together."
Roberts also appeared in a commercial for Kinoshita Group that was filmed following the 2024 season.
Documentary 'Homecoming: The Tokyo Series' to Be Released in 2026
MLB Studios has collaborated with Supper Club and BD4, Bandijay Americas' documentary label, to make Homecoming: The Tokyo Series. It's a film that explores the much-celebrated opening games of the 2025 MLB season at Tokyo Dome and Japan's love of baseball.
The documentary "celebrates the intersection of culture and global sport, illuminating how baseball unites beyond borders," MLB.com reported. It is scheduled for release in February 2026.
Homecoming focuses on much more than the highlights of the games played by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19.
"We focused on the places where the game really lives, from workshops to local fields to people's homes," director Jason Sterman said, according to MLB.com. "The Tokyo Series gave us a clear look at how baseball sits inside the country's identity."
Basketball
Hachimura Giving Lakers a Boost with 3-Point Shooting
Veteran NBA forward Rui Hachimura is shooting a careeer-best 48.1% from 3-point range in the 2025-26 NBA season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are 11-4 to open the season, and Hachimura has appeared in 14 games. He's averaging 15.1 points per contest (through November 18).
Entering the current NBA campaign, his best shooting season from beyond the 3-point arc was 2021-22, when he made 44.7% of his shots for the Washington Wizards in 42 games.
Hachimura played a career-high 66 games in 2023-23 for the Lakers. That season, he converted 42.2% of his 3-point attempts.
The seventh-year pro has worked on becoming a more consistent 3-point shooter. That effort has paid off for the Toyama native.
"I'm glad I can help lead the team with my shooting," the Toyama native said recently, according to Kyodo News.
Commenting on his improvement as a long-range shooter, Hachimura added, "It's a matter of rhythm and being comfortable with your shot."
Kobe Storks, Fukushima Firebonds Setting the Pace in B2
In the B.League's second division, aka B2, two teams are at the head of the pack as the second month of the 2025-26 season nears its conclusion.
The Western Conference's Kobe Storks are 16-1, collecting their latest victory (69-66) on Saturday, November 22 against the Ehime Orange Vikings.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference's Fukushima Firebonds improved to 15-1 on Saturday, beating the Veltex Shizuoka 101-63 for their 14th straight win.
Quote of the Week
"He was truly a special person. Shigeo Nagashima will be with us forever."
―Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, speaking about longtime Yomiuri Giants teammate Nagashima at a memorial service at Tokyo Dome on November 21, Kyodo News reported. Nagashima died on June 3 at age 89.
"Reflecting on today's performance, there were not perfect jumps, two got under-rotation marks. However, the rest of the jumps I was able to complete, and the quality was good. I was able to deliver and convey the emotions through the step sequence and [choreography] sequence. I'm happy about that."
―Mone Chiba, on winning the women's figure skating competition at the Finlandia Trophy on November 22 in Helsinki.
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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