2018 Kashima Antlers season

Kashima Antlers
2018 season
Manager	Go Oiwa
Stadium	Kashima Soccer Stadium
J1 League	3rd
Emperor's Cup	Semi-finals
League Cup	Semi-finals
Champions League	Winners
FIFA Club World Cup	Fourth place
Top goalscorer	League: Yuma Suzuki (11); All: Yuma Suzuki (17)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2017 2019 →

The 2018 season was Kashima Antlers's 26th consecutive season in the J1 League since professional football was established in Japan in 1993. In addition to the domestic league, the club also competed in the Emperor's Cup, J.League Cup, and AFC Champions League. They won the latter trophy securing their first ever Champions League trophy in their first appearance in the final.

Squad

The Kashima Antlers squad for the 2018 season.

As of 10 January 2018.^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	KOR	Kwoun Sun-tae
2	DF	JPN	Atsuto Uchida
3	DF	JPN	Gen Shoji
4	MF	BRA	Léo Silva
5	DF	JPN	Naomichi Ueda
6	MF	JPN	Ryota Nagaki
7	FW	BRA	Pedro Junior
8	MF	JPN	Shoma Doi
9	FW	JPN	Yuma Suzuki
10	FW	JPN	Mu Kanazaki
11	MF	BRA	Leandro Moura
13	MF	JPN	Atsutaka Nakamura
14	FW	JPN	Takeshi Kanamori
15	DF	JPN	Yuto Misao
16	DF	JPN	Shuto Yamamoto
19	FW	JPN	Kazuma Yamaguchi


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	MF	JPN	Kento Misao
21	GK	JPN	Hitoshi Sogahata
22	DF	JPN	Daigo Nishi
23	DF	JPN	Itsuki Oda
24	DF	JPN	Yukitoshi Ito
25	MF	JPN	Yasushi Endo
26	MF	JPN	Kazune Kubota
28	DF	JPN	Koki Machida
29	GK	JPN	Shinichiro Kawamata
30	FW	JPN	Hiroki Abe
31	GK	JPN	Yuya Oki
32	DF	JPN	Koki Anzai
36	MF	JPN	Toshiya Tanaka
39	DF	JPN	Tomoya Inukai
40	MF	JPN	Mitsuo Ogasawara (captain)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
17	DF	BRA	Bueno (at Tokushima Vortis)
—	MF	JPN	Taiki Hirato (at Machida Zelvia)
—	MF	JPN	Taro Sugimoto (at Tokushima Vortis)
—	FW	JPN	Yuki Kakita (at Zweigen Kanazawa)

Competitions

J1 League

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Kawasaki Frontale (C)	34	21	6	7	57	27	+30	69	Qualification for the Champions League group stage
2	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	34	17	6	11	47	35	+12	57	Qualification for the Champions League play-off round
3	Kashima Antlers	34	16	8	10	50	39	+11	56	Qualification for the Champions League play-off round
4	Consadole Sapporo	34	15	10	9	48	48	0	55
5	Urawa Red Diamonds	34	14	9	11	51	39	+12	51	Qualification for the Champions League group stage^[a]

Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions
Notes:

^ Urawa Red Diamonds qualified for the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage as 2018 Emperor's Cup winners.

Matches

^[2]

Match	Date	Team	Score	Team	Venue	Attendance
1	2018.02.25	Shimizu S-Pulse	0–0	Kashima Antlers	IAI Stadium Nihondaira	19,632
2	2018.03.03	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Gamba Osaka	Kashima Soccer Stadium	24,545
3	2018.03.10	Kashima Antlers	0–1	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	Kashima Soccer Stadium	16,799
4	2018.03.18	Sagan Tosu	0–1	Kashima Antlers	Best Amenity Stadium	17,757
5	2018.03.31	Kashima Antlers	0–0	Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo	Kashima Soccer Stadium	19,629
6	2018.04.07	Shonan Bellmare	2–1	Kashima Antlers	Shonan BMW Stadium Hiratsuka	13,947
7	2018.04.11	FC Tokyo	2–1	Kashima Antlers	Ajinomoto Stadium	17,260
8	2018.04.14	Kashima Antlers	2–0	Nagoya Grampus	Kashima Soccer Stadium	17,921
9	2018.04.21	Kawasaki Frontale	4–1	Kashima Antlers	Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium	24,358
10	2018.04.25	Kashima Antlers	1–1	Vissel Kobe	Kashima Soccer Stadium	7,672
11	2018.04.28	Yokohama F. Marinos	3–0	Kashima Antlers	Nissan Stadium	27,348
12	2018.05.02	Kashima Antlers	2–1	V-Varen Nagasaki	Kashima Soccer Stadium	11,848
13	2018.05.05	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Urawa Reds	Kashima Soccer Stadium	33,647
15	2018.05.20	Kashima Antlers	1–2	Vegalta Sendai	Kashima Soccer Stadium	23,942
16	2018.07.18	Júbilo Iwata	3–3	Kashima Antlers	Yamaha Stadium	13,577
17	2018.07.22	Kashima Antlers	6–2	Kashiwa Reysol	Kashima Soccer Stadium	24,480
14	2018.07.25	Cerezo Osaka	0–2	Kashima Antlers	Yanmar Stadium Nagai	16,631
18	2018.07.28	Gamba Osaka	1–1	Kashima Antlers	Panasonic Stadium Suita	28,534
19	2018.08.01	Kashima Antlers	1–2	FC Tokyo	Kashima Soccer Stadium	12,643
20	2018.08.05	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Shimizu S-Pulse	Kashima Soccer Stadium	19,119
21	2018.08.11	Nagoya Grampus	4–2	Kashima Antlers	Toyota Stadium	43,579
22	2018.08.15	V-Varen Nagasaki	1–2	Kashima Antlers	Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki	12,328
23	2018.08.19	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Yokohama F. Marinos	Kashima Soccer Stadium	21,178
24	2018.08.24	Kashima Antlers	1–1	Júbilo Iwata	Kashima Soccer Stadium	13,575
25	2018.09.01	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	3–1	Kashima Antlers	Edion Stadium Hiroshima	13,107
26	2018.09.14	Kashima Antlers	2–1	Shonan Bellmare	Kashima Soccer Stadium	10,728
27	2018.09.23	Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo	0–2	Kashima Antlers	Sapporo Dome	21,074
28	2018.09.29	Vissel Kobe	0–5	Kashima Antlers	Noevir Stadium Kobe	23,774
29	2018.10.07	Kashima Antlers	0–0	Kawasaki Frontale	Kashima Soccer Stadium	31,798
30	2018.10.20	Urawa Reds	3–1	Kashima Antlers	Saitama Stadium 2002	46,893
31	2018.10.31	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Cerezo Osaka	Kashima Soccer Stadium	9,233
32	2018.11.06	Kashiwa Reysol	2–3	Kashima Antlers	Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium	9,255
33	2018.11.24	Vegalta Sendai	0–3	Kashima Antlers	Yurtec Stadium Sendai	19,152
34	2018.12.01	Kashima Antlers	0–0	Sagan Tosu	Kashima Soccer Stadium	31,619

Emperor's Cup

Second round

6 June 2018	Kashima Antlers	6–1	Honda FC	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00		Report		Attendance: 3,172 Referee: Yudai Yamamoto

Third round

11 July 2018	Kashima Antlers	5–1	Machida Zelvia	Machida Stadium, Machida
18:30		Report		Attendance: 5,589

Fourth round

26 September 2018	Kashima Antlers	2–0 (a.e.t.)	Sanfrecce Hiroshima	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00	Silva 96' Misao 117'	Report		Attendance: 3,832 Referee: Toru Kakinuma

Quarter-final

21 November 2018	Kashima Antlers	1–0	Ventforet Kofu	Yamanashi Chuo Bank Stadium, Kōfu
19:03	Doi 76'	Report		Attendance: 6,243 Referee: Yuichi Nishimura

Semi-final

5 December 2018	Urawa Red Diamonds	1–0	Kashima Antlers	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:04	Maurício 27'	Report		Attendance: 13,949 Referee: Koichiro Fukushima

J.League Cup

Quarter-final

5 September 2018 (2018-09-05)	Kashima Antlers	1–1	Kawasaki Frontale	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:04	Nishi 19'		32' (pen.) Chinen	Attendance: 7,145 Referee: M. Īda

9 September 2018 (2018-09-09)	Kawasaki Frontale	1–3	Kashima Antlers	Ajinomoto Stadium, Chōfu
19:03	Abe 51' (pen.)		28', 37' Yamamoto 72' Serginho	Attendance: 19,214 Referee: M. Yamamoto

Kashima Antlers won 4–2 on aggregate.

Semi-final

10 October 2018 (2018-10-10)	Kashima Antlers	1–2	Yokohama F. Marinos	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:03	Inukai 90+4'	Report	Amano 77' Vieira 90+5'	Attendance: 8,421 Referee: M. Matsuo

14 October 2018 (2018-10-14)	Yokohama F. Marinos	2–2	Kashima Antlers	Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
14:04	Vieira 20' Nakagawa 34'	Report	Doi 62' Serginho 70'	Attendance: 12,979 Referee: M. Satō

Yokohama F. Marinos won 4–3 on aggregate.

AFC Champions League

Group stage

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	6	3	1	2	8	7	+1	10	Round of 16
2	Kashima Antlers	6	2	3	1	8	6	+2	9	Round of 16
3	Sydney FC	6	1	3	2	7	8	−1	6
4	Shanghai Shenhua	6	0	5	1	6	8	−2	5

Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

14 February 2018 (2018-02-14)	Kashima Antlers	1–1	Shanghai Shenhua	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9	Endo 51'	Live Report Stats Report	Moreno 3'	Attendance: 9,192 Referee: Muhammad Taqi (Singapore)

21 February 2018 (2018-02-21)	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	1–2	Kashima Antlers	Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon
19:00 UTC+9	Cristovam 89'	Live Report Stats Report	Kanazaki 8', 59'	Attendance: 4,870 Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

7 March 2018 (2018-03-07)	Sydney FC	0–2	Kashima Antlers	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
19:30 UTC+11		Live Report Stats Report	Doi 40' Ueda 87'	Attendance: 6,442 Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

13 March 2018 (2018-03-13)	Kashima Antlers	1–1	Sydney FC	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9	Kanazaki 27'	Live Report Stats Report	Simon 70'	Attendance: 8,636 Referee: Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)

3 April 2018 (2018-04-03)	Shanghai Shenhua	2–2	Kashima Antlers	Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai
20:00 UTC+8	Moreno 13' (pen.) Mao Jianqing 28'	Live Report Stats Report	Suzuki 58' Leandro 63'	Attendance: 20,028 Referee: Mohd Amirul Izwan Yaacob (Malaysia)

17 April 2018 (2018-04-17)	Kashima Antlers	0–1	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9		Live Report Stats Report	Damjanović 31'	Attendance: 6,229 Referee: Ammar Al-Jeneibi (United Arab Emirates)

Round of 16

9 May 2018 (2018-05-09)	Kashima Antlers	3–1	Shanghai SIPG	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9	Suzuki 43' Nishi 49' Yu Hai 75' (o.g.)	Live Report Stats Report	Elkeson 77'	Attendance: 8,860 Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

16 May 2018 (2018-05-16)	Shanghai SIPG	2–1	Kashima Antlers	Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai
20:00 UTC+8	Hulk 7', 81' (pen.)	Live Report Stats Report	Doi 42'	Attendance: 19,697 Referee: Mohammed Abdulla (United Arab Emirates)

Kashima Antlers won 4–3 on aggregate.

Quarter-final

28 August 2018 (2018-08-28)	Kashima Antlers	2–0	Tianjin Quanjian	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9	Léo Silva 60' Serginho 72'	Live Report Stats Report		Attendance: 13,634 Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)

18 September 2018 (2018-09-18)	Tianjin Quanjian	0–3	Kashima Antlers	Estádio Campo Desportivo, Macau^{[note 1]}
19:30 UTC+8		Live Report Stats Report	Serginho 13' Abe 27' Doi 66'	Attendance: 8,718 Referee: Chris Beath (Australia)

Kashima Antlers won 5–0 on aggregate.

Semi-final

3 October 2018 (2018-10-03)	Kashima Antlers	3–2	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima
19:00 UTC+9	Jang Ho-ik 21' (o.g.) Serginho 84' Uchida 90+3'	Live Report Stats Report	Uchida 2' (o.g.) Damjanović 6'	Attendance: 13,044 Referee: Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain)

24 October 2018 (2018-10-24)	Suwon Samsung Bluewings	3–3	Kashima Antlers	Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon
19:00 UTC+9	Lim Sang-hyub 52' Jo Sung-jin 53' Damjanović 60'	Live Report Stats Report	Yamamoto 25' Nishi 64' Serginho 82'	Attendance: 10,296 Referee: Mark Geiger (United States)^[4]

Kashima Antlers won 6–5 on aggregate.

Final

In the final, the two semi-final winners played each other, with the order of legs (first leg hosted by team from the East Region, second leg hosted by team from the West Region) reversed from the previous season's final.

3 November 2018

15:00 UTC+9

Kashima Antlers	2–0	Persepolis
Léo Silva 58' Serginho 70'	Live Report Stats Report

Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima

Attendance: 35,022

Referee: Ma Ning (China)

10 November 2018

18:30 UTC+3:30

Persepolis	0–0	Kashima Antlers
	Live Report Stats Report

Azadi Stadium, Tehran

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)

Kashima Antlers won 2–0 on aggregate.

References

^ "Players" (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers Official Website. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
^ J.League
^ "亚足联官宣权健亚冠主场移师澳门不在天津举行". Sina Sports. 3 September 2018.
^ "Geiger to lead ref crew at AFC Champions League semifinal". Major League Soccer. 19 October 2018.

^ The Tianjin Quanjian v Kashima Antlers match was played in Estádio Campo Desportivo, Macau instead of Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Tianjin.^[3]

External links

(in Japanese) J.League official site

[table_note_res_CLCW0.82267101473299-2] Urawa Red Diamonds qualified for the 2019 AFC Champions League group stage as 2018 Emperor's Cup winners.

[1] "Players" (in Japanese). Kashima Antlers Official Website. Retrieved 10 January 2018.

[3] J.League

[4] "亚足联官宣权健亚冠主场移师澳门不在天津举行". Sina Sports. 3 September 2018.

[6] "Geiger to lead ref crew at AFC Champions League semifinal". Major League Soccer. 19 October 2018.

[Tianjin_Quanjian_v_Kashima_Antlers-5] The Tianjin Quanjian v Kashima Antlers match was played in Estádio Campo Desportivo, Macau instead of Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Tianjin.^[3]

[1]

[a]

[2]

[note 1]

[4]

[3]

v t e Kashima Antlers
Club	Players History Statistics All articles
Stadium	Kashima Soccer Stadium
Honours	J.League (1996 1998 2000 2001 2007 2008 2009 2016) Emperor's Cup (1997 2000 2007 2010 2016) J.League Cup (1997 2000 2002 2011 2012 2015) Japanese Super Cup (1997 1998 1999 2000 2010 2017) AFC Champions League (2018) Suruga Bank Championship (2012 2013) A3 Champions Cup (2003)
Personalities	Zico Jorginho Masakatsu Miyamoto Naoki Soma Yutaka Akita Bismarck Akira Narahashi Yasuto Honda Toninho Cerezo Oswaldo de Oliveira Yoshiyuki Hasegawa Kurosaki Hisashi Leonardo Mitsuo Ogasawara Kōji Nakata Masashi Motoyama Toru Araiba Daijiro Takakuwa Hitoshi Sogahata Takuya Nozawa Carlos Alberto Alcindo Marquinhos Atsuto Uchida Takayuki Suzuki Atsushi Yanagisawa Go Oiwa Shinzo Koroki João Carlos Daiki Iwamasa Yuya Osako Mu Kanazaki
Seasons	1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Matches	2016 FIFA Club World Cup Final 2018 AFC Champions League Final
Sponsors	Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Lixil Group Riso Kagaku Corporation Nike Sony All Nippon Airways Asahi Breweries Suntory Showa Corporation KDDI Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Segway Inc.
Training ground	Club House Ground Forest of Heisei