2007 J.League Cup
# 2007 J.League Cup

The 2007 edition of the J.League Cup, officially the 2007 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup, sponsored by Nabisco began on March 21 with reigning champions JEF United seeking to claim their 3rd successive crown. This would equal the record set by Verdy Kawasaki when the competition began in 1992. The top 4 teams of each qualifying group automatically qualified for the quarterfinals with the best two remaining runners-up. Both Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Red Diamonds were exempt from competing in the group stage, due to their entry into the Asian Champions League. They were therefore entered into the quarter-final stage which begins in the summer.

The final was on November 3 at the Tokyo National Stadium. The winners were Gamba Osaka, beating Kawasaki Frontale in the final 1-0 to claim its first J.League Cup championship. They qualified for the 2008 Pan-Pacific Championship and the 2008 Suruga Bank Championship.

## Group stage

### Group A

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 12 |
| Gamba Osaka | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 10 |
| JEF United Chiba | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 9 |
| Vissel Kobe | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 4 |
| March 21, 2007 |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 0 – 3 | Gamba Osaka |
| Vissel Kobe | 1 – 4 | JEF United |
| March 25, 2007 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2 – 2 | Vissel Kobe |
| JEF United | 2 – 1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| April 4, 2007 |
| Gamba Osaka | 0 – 1 | JEF United |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 2 – 0 | Vissel Kobe |
| April 11, 2007 |
| JEF United | 0 – 1 | Gamba Osaka |
| Vissel Kobe | 0 – 1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| May 9, 2007 |
| Gamba Osaka | 0 – 1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima |
| JEF United | 0 – 1 | Vissel Kobe |
| May 23, 2007 |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1 – 0 | JEF United |
| Vissel Kobe | 2 – 4 | Gamba Osaka |

### Group B

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 8 |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 8 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| Omiya Ardija | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 8 |
| March 21, 2007 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 2 – 1 | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| Yokohama F-Marinos | 0 – 1 | Omiya Ardija |
| March 25, 2007 |
| Omiya Ardija | 2 – 1 | Kashiwa Reysol |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 2 – 2 | Yokohama F-Marinos |
| April 4, 2007 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 0 – 0 | Omiya Ardija |
| Yokohama F-Marinos | 2 – 0 | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| April 11, 2007 |
| Omiya Ardija | 1 – 1 | Yokohama F-Marinos |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 0 – 0 | Kashiwa Reysol |
| May 9, 2007 |
| Yokohama F-Marinos | 3 – 0 | Kashiwa Reysol |
| Omiya Ardija | 1 – 2 | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| May 23, 2007 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 3 – 0 | Yokohama F-Marinos |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 3 – 0 | Omiya Ardija |

### Group C

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FC Tokyo | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Yokohama FC | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 |
| Oita Trinita | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Júbilo Iwata | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 7 |
| March 21, 2007 |
| Ōita Trinita | 1 – 0 | Yokohama FC |
| Júbilo Iwata | 2 – 2 | FC Tokyo |
| March 25, 2007 |
| FC Tokyo | 0 – 2 | Ōita Trinita |
| Yokohama FC | 2 – 0 | Júbilo Iwata |
| April 4, 2007 |
| Júbilo Iwata | 0 – 1 | Yokohama FC |
| Ōita Trinita | 0 – 1 | FC Tokyo |
| April 11, 2007 |
| FC Tokyo | 2 – 1 | Júbilo Iwata |
| Yokohama FC | 1 – 2 | Ōita Trinita |
| May 9, 2007 |
| Júbilo Iwata | 1 – 0 | Ōita Trinita |
| FC Tokyo | 0 – 1 | Yokohama FC |
| May 23, 2007 |
| Ōita Trinita | 1 – 3 | Júbilo Iwata |
| Yokohama FC | 1 – 2 | FC Tokyo |

### Group D

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kashima Antlers | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 12 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 10 |
| Albirex Niigata | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 9 |
| Nagoya Grampus Eight | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 2 |
| March 21, 2007 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 2 – 1 | Nagoya Grampus Eight |
| Albirex Niigata | 3 – 1 | Kashima Antlers |
| March 25, 2007 |
| Kashima Antlers | 2 – 1 | Albirex Niigata |
| Nagoya Grampus Eight | 0 – 1 | Ventforet Kofu |
| April 4, 2007 |
| Kashima Antlers | 0 – 1 | Ventforet Kofu |
| Nagoya Grampus Eight | 2 – 2 | Albirex Niigata |
| April 11, 2007 |
| Kashima Antlers | 2 – 1 | Nagoya Grampus Eight |
| Albirex Niigata | 2 – 1 | Ventforet Kofu |
| May 9, 2007 |
| Nagoya Grampus Eight | 1 – 4 | Kashima Antlers |
| Ventforet Kofu | 0 – 0 | Albirex Niigata |
| May 23, 2007 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 0 – 3 | Kashima Antlers |
| Albirex Niigata | 0 – 0 | Nagoya Grampus Eight |

## Knockout stage

### Quarterfinals

| Match | Team #1 | Agg. | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| A | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3-6 | Gamba Osaka | 1-1 | 2-5 |
| B | Ventforet Kofu | 5-6 | Kawasaki Frontale | 3-2 | 2-4 |
| C | Yokohama F. Marinos | 4-3 | F.C. Tokyo | 0-1 | 4-2 |
| D | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 2-3 | Kashima Antlers | 1-0 | 1-3 |

### Semifinals

**Semifinals Match#1**

Gamba Osaka and Kashima Antlers ties on the aggregate with 3 – 3; Gamba Osaka advance to the final on away goal rule.

**Semifinals Match#2**

Kawasaki Frontale advances to the final on aggregate score of 6 – 3.

## Awards

* MVP: Michihiro Yasuda (Gamba Osaka)
* Top Scorer: Daisuke Sudo (Ventforet Kofu); 6 goals.
* New Hero Prize: Michihiro Yasuda (Gamba Osaka)
