YOKOHAMA -- The Kashima Antlers moved one step closer to winning their third title of the season on Friday after advancing to the final of the Emperor's Cup with a 3-2 extra-time win over Gamba Osaka.
Kashima midfielder Koji Kumagai rose to head in the winner off a Bismarck corner in the 93rd minute, putting the Antlers in the final for the first time since 1997 when they won the cup.
If Kashima wins the final against Shimizu S-Pulse on Jan. 1 at Tokyo's National Stadium, it will become the first team to capture the treble following its triumphs in the Nabisco Cup and the J. League Championship.