Tatsuya Tanaka scored a hat trick as holder Urawa Reds routed Nagoya Grampus Eight 4-1 on Monday to advance to the final of the J. League Nabisco Cup for the third successive year.
Urawa took a 2-0 halftime lead through Emerson and Tanaka before the diminutive U-23 international added two goals after the break in the one-leg semifinal at Mizuho Stadium.
Urawa will meet the winner of the other semifinal between FC Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy, due to be played on Wednesday, in the Nov. 3 final at National Stadium in Tokyo.
The J. League had postponed both semifinal matches from Saturday due to a typhoon.
First Division leading scorer Emerson headed home a Yuichiro Nagai cross to put Urawa ahead after 27 minutes before Tanaka pounced on a loose ball to double the lead seven minutes later.
Tanaka put the result beyond doubt in the 58th minute with his second after an attempted clearance fell into his path. He completed his hat trick five minutes from time on a cross from Tadaaki Hirakawa.