Goalkeeper Kohei Kawata saved a penalty at the end of extra-time and another in the subsequent shootout to help J-League second-division outfit Ventforet Kofu stun heavy favorites Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Emperor's Cup final on Sunday.
Kofu, currently 18th in the 22-team J2, clinched their first major silverware with the 5-4 penalty shootout victory after the final was deadlocked 1-1 through 120 minutes at Nissan Stadium.
Kazushi Mitsuhira gave Kofu the lead in the 26th minute but Takumu Kawamura equalized in the 84th for the J1's third-place team, who were chasing their first Emperor's Cup of the J-League era after finishing runners-up five times.
The 34-year-old Kawata stopped Makoto Mitsuta's 118th-minute spot kick after 42-year-old defender Hideomi Yamamoto was penalized for handball, then etched his name in club history by saving Kawamura's penultimate penalty shootout attempt for Hiroshima.
"I'm so happy to be able to win a title with this club," Kawata said. "Yamamoto has been such a great player for this club. When I saw it was his handball, I didn't want to let things end like that."
The more adventurous side in the first half, Ventforet went ahead with a perfectly executed set piece.
Corner kick taker Motoki Hasegawa played it short before feeding a ball into the onrushing Sho Araki, whose low cross was tapped in by Mitsuhira from directly in front.
Hiroshima asserted control as the game wore on and eventually found their equalizer when Kawamura received the ball from Ezequiel at the left of the area and blasted into the top right corner, sending the contest to extra time.
The J1 side nearly took the lead two minutes into the first extra-time period when Mitsuta hit the crossbar with a free kick from the edge of the area.
Hiroshima, who had been gunning for a cup double in their first season under German manager Michael Skibbe, will look for consolation in the Levain Cup final against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.
Traditionally played on New Year's Day, this year's Emperor's Cup final was brought forward to accommodate the 2022 World Cup, which kicks off Nov. 20 in Qatar.
