In a season of challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, J. League first-division champion Kawasaki Frontale charted a blueprint for victory using the unprecedented conditions to their advantage, captain Shogo Taniguchi said.
Frontale, who claimed their third J1 title with an emphatic 5-0 win Wednesday against second-place Gamba Osaka at Todoroki Stadium, won the race to the championship faster than any team under the league's current 34-game format, finishing with four rounds to spare.
Their first match following the league's roughly four-month suspension due to the coronavirus was a turning point in the season, according to 29-year-old center-back Taniguchi.