Tokyo: Yokohama F Marinos clinched the J1 League title for the first time since 2019 on Saturday when Kevin Muscat's side notched up a 3-1 win over Vissel Kobe on the final day of the season to keep defending champions Kawasaki Frontale at bay.
Second half goals from Takuma Nishimura and Teruhito Nakagawa earned Marinos the victory and took Muscat's team onto a title-winning total of 65 points from 34 games, two more than Frontale.
Kawasaki, who needed to win on Saturday and for Marinos to slip to a loss against Kobe to claim a fifth league title in six seasons, registered a 3-2 win over FC Tokyo.
Yokohama's title win is the club's first under Australian coach Muscat, who succeeded compatriot Ange Postecoglou at the helm last year when he left Japan to take over at Scottish side Celtic.
Both clubs will qualify for the 2023/24 edition of the Asian Champions League, which is due to kick off in September next year.
Marinos took the lead against Kobe when Elber's header looped over Yuya Tsuboi in the 26th minute but former Newcastle United striker Yoshinori Muto glanced his header home three minutes into injury time as the teams went in level at half-time.
Nishimura struck from close range after Tsuboi spilled Kota Mizunuma's free kick eight minutes into the second half and Nakagawa put the result beyond doubt with 17 minutes remaining when he slotted in Mizunuma's cut-back from the right.
Frontale picked up their win over FC Tokyo despite playing for more than hour with 10 men when goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong was sent off, with Ryoma Watanabe's own goal 15 minutes from time sealing Kawasaki a 3-2 victory. -- Reuters
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