Preparation
We started the 2026/27 Meiji Yasuda J1 League with three consecutive wins. In the match against Fukuoka on Saturday, August 22, Leo Ceara and Chavric scored goals, and we won a back-and-forth battle 3-2. After that Fukuoka match, the team entered a "five-game stretch" with matches coming every three or two days.
The second match of the series is the second round of the Emperor's Cup JFA 106th All Japan Football Championship. Kashima Antlers boasts five Emperor's Cup titles (1997, 2000, 2007, 2010, 2016). Their first opponent in this tournament, as they aim for their sixth title in 10 years, is Atletico Suzuka, representing Mie Prefecture.
Atletico Suzuka is a team that plays in the "Tokai Football League Division 1," which is four categories below J1. They defeated FC BASARA HYOGO, representing Hyogo Prefecture, in a penalty shootout in the first round and advanced to the second round, where Kashima Antlers awaits.
One of the attractions of the Emperor's Cup is facing opponents that are not usually encountered in league play. In the past, "giant killings" where lower-category teams, such as university teams, defeated J.League clubs were often seen. For this reason, Kashima Antlers will approach this match with a determination to win.
Keisuke Tsukui emphasized, "I want to fight with all my might," and Yuta Matsumura stressed, "If everyone prepares well, we can win." First, to win this first match in the second round, let's make the best preparations, even with just three days after the Fukuoka match, and face this game.
