2018 J.League Cup

2018 J. League Cup
2018 JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ
Tournament details
CountryJapan
Dates7 March – 27 October 2018
Teams20
Final positions
ChampionsShonan Bellmare (1st title)
Runner-upYokohama F. Marinos
Tournament statistics
Matches played69
Goals scored207 (3 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Sho Ito
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 J.League Cup (2018 Jリーグカップ), or officially the 2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup (2018 JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ), is the 43rd edition of the Japanese football league cup tournament and the 26th edition under the current J. League Cup format.

The winners earned the right to play against the winners of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana in the 2019 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship.

Format

[1]

Byes
Teams that qualified for 2018 AFC Champions League group stage (3 or 4 teams) are given byes to the quarterfinals.
Group stage
The group stage is played by 16 teams, consisting of all other 2018 J1 League participants (14 or 15 teams) plus top 1 or 2 2018 J2 League participants based on the ranking of the previous season (i.e., 16th-placed team, and 17th-placed team if applicable, of 2017 J1 League).
Play-off stage
Play-off stage is played as four or five two-legged ties (number depending on the number of teams given byes to the quarterfinals so that eight teams play the quarterfinals).
  • If four teams are given byes to the quarterfinals, eight teams (top two teams of each group) advances to the play-off stage and composes four ties.
  • If three teams are given byes to the quarterfinals, ten teams (top two teams of each group, plus two best third-placed teams among four groups) advances to the play-off stage and composes five ties.

After the play-off stage where eight teams are active, quarterfinals (two-legged), semi finals (two-legged) and the final (single match) are played.

Group stage

Played between March 7 & May 16.

Tiebreakers

[1]

To determine the ranking of a group, teams with the same points are ranked by the following criteria:

  1. Points in the matches between the teams in question,
  2. Goal differences in the matches between the teams in question,
  3. Number of goals in the matches between the teams in question,
  4. Number of away goals in the matches between the teams in question.
  5. In case there are still two or more tied teams by the criteria above, re-apply them for only the tied teams. If the process does not classify teams anymore, see the following criteria.
  6. Goal differences in all group matches,
  7. Number of goals in all group matches,
  8. Penalty shoot-out (only if just two teams are tied, and they play the last group match)
  9. Fewer disciplinary points,
  10. Drawing of lots.

To determine the best third-placed teams (if needed), teams with the same points are ranked by the following criteria:

  1. Goal differences in all group matches,
  2. Number of goals in all group matches,
  3. Fewer disciplinary points,
  4. Drawing of lots.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts VEG YMA ALB TOK
1 Vegalta Sendai 6 3 2 1 10 6 +4 11 — 4–2 1–1 3–0
2 Yokohama F. Marinos 6 3 2 1 10 8 +2 11 0–0 — 2–1 1–0
3 Albirex Niigata 6 2 1 3 9 10 −1 7 3–1 1–3 — 3–2
4 FC Tokyo 6 1 1 4 5 10 −5 4 0–1 2–2 1–0 —
Source: Group A League table

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts JÚB VEN SSP CON
1 Júbilo Iwata 6 4 0 2 9 7 +2 12 — 3–2 2–1 2–3
2 Ventforet Kofu 6 3 1 2 10 5 +5 10 0–1 — 1–0 3–0
3 Shimizu S-Pulse 6 3 1 2 8 5 +3 10 1–0 1–1 — 2–1
4 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 6 1 0 5 4 14 −10 3 0–1 0–3 0–3 —
Source: Group B League table

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts RED GAM SFR GRA
1 Urawa Red Diamonds 6 4 1 1 9 5 +4 13 — 1–4 1–0 2–0
2 Gamba Osaka 6 3 0 3 12 13 −1 9 0–1 — 0–4 1–4
3 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 6 2 1 3 9 7 +2 7 0–0 2–3 — 2–1
4 Nagoya Grampus 6 2 0 4 9 14 −5 6 1–4 1–4 2–1 —
Source: Group C League table

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts VIS BEL VVN SAG
1 Vissel Kobe 6 3 2 1 14 8 +6 11 — 3–4 2–2 1–1
2 Shonan Bellmare 6 3 1 2 8 8 0 10 0–3 — 2–0 1–0
3 V-Varen Nagasaki 6 2 1 3 9 11 −2 7 1–2 2–1 — 3–2
4 Sagan Tosu 6 1 2 3 5 8 −3 5 0–2 0–0 2–1 —
Source: Group D League table

Bracket

Play-off stage Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
                  
1 Ventforet Kofu 2 1 3
16 Urawa Red Diamonds 0 2 2
Ventforet Kofu 2 1 3
Kashiwa Reysol (a) 2 1 3
8 Kashiwa Reysol
9 Bye
Kashiwa Reysol 1 2 3 (4)
Shonan Bellmare (p) 1 2 3 (5)
5 Shonan Bellmare 3 1 4
12 Vegalta Sendai 0 3 3
Shonan Bellmare 3 2 5
Cerezo Osaka 0 2 2
4 Cerezo Osaka
13 Bye
Shonan Bellmare 1
Yokohama F. Marinos 0
6 Kashima Antlers
11 Bye
Kashima Antlers 1 3 4
Kawasaki Frontale 1 1 2
3 Kawasaki Frontale
14 Bye
Kashima Antlers 1 2 3
Yokohama F. Marinos 2 2 4
7 Gamba Osaka 1 3 4
10 Júbilo Iwata 0 2 2
Gamba Osaka 0 1 1
Yokohama F. Marinos 4 3 7
2 Yokohama F. Marinos 4 1 5
15 Vissel Kobe 2 1 3

Play-off stage

In each tie (two-legged tie) of play-offs, quarterfinals or semifinals, away goals rule is applied for goals in the regular playing time, but not in the extra time.[1]

Played on June 2 & 9.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Shonan Bellmare 4–3 Vegalta Sendai 3–0 1–3
Gamba Osaka 4–2 Júbilo Iwata 1–0 3–2
Ventforet Kofu 3–2 Urawa Red Diamonds 2–0 1–2
Yokohama F. Marinos 5–3 Vissel Kobe 4–2 1–1

Quarterfinals

Played on September 5 & 9.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Shonan Bellmare 5–2 Cerezo Osaka 3–0 2–2
Ventforet Kofu 3–3 (a) Kashiwa Reysol 2–2 1–1
Gamba Osaka 1–7 Yokohama F. Marinos 0–4 1–3
Kashima Antlers 4–2 Kawasaki Frontale 1–1 3–1

First leg

5 September 2018 (2018-09-05) Shonan Bellmare 3–0 Cerezo Osaka Shonan BMW Stadium, Hiratsuka
19:03 Matsuda 28'
Umesaki 70'
Kaneko 75'		 Attendance: 5,896
Referee: M. Okabe
5 September 2018 (2018-09-05) Ventforet Kofu 2–2 Kashiwa Reysol Yamanashi Chuo Stadium, Kōfu
19:03 Nakayama 54'
Soneda 69'		 63' Nakagawa
85' Cristiano		 Attendance: 4,157
Referee: M. Fukushima
5 September 2018 (2018-09-05) Gamba Osaka 0–4 Yokohama F. Marinos Panasonic Stadium Suita, Suita
19:03 2', 40' Ito
74' Ōtsu
75' Nakagawa		 Attendance: 5,792
Referee: M. Nishimura
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

Second leg

9 September 2018 (2018-09-09) Cerezo Osaka 2–2 Shonan Bellmare Yanmar Stadium Nagai, Osaka
19:03 Takagi 25'
Souza 35'		 31' Kaneko
44' (pen.) Yamasaki		 Attendance: 6,589
Referee: M. Iemoto
9 September 2018 (2018-09-09) Yokohama F. Marinos 3–1 Gamba Osaka Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
19:03 Nakagawa 12'
Ito 20' (pen.), 85'		 52' Ichimi Attendance: 11,207
Referee: M. Araki
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

Semifinals

Played on October 10 & 14.


Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Kashiwa Reysol 3–3 (4–5 p) Shonan Bellmare 1–1 2–2 (a.e.t.)
Kashima Antlers 3–4 Yokohama F. Marinos 1–2 2–2

First leg

10 October 2018 (2018-10-10) Kashiwa Reysol 1–1 Shonan Bellmare Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium, Kashiwa
19:04 Segawa 1' Report Kikuchi 9' Attendance: 5,665
Referee: M. Nishimura
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

Second leg

14 October 2018 (2018-10-14) Shonan Bellmare 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)		 Kashiwa Reysol Shonan BMW Stadium, Hiratsuka
16:03 Ishikawa 28'
Saka 93'		 Report Otani 70'
Yamazaki 113'		 Attendance: 13,018
Referee: M. Tōjō
Penalties
Sugioka soccer ball with check mark
Yamasaki soccer ball with check mark
Umesaki soccer ball with red X
Saka soccer ball with check mark
Kaneko soccer ball with check mark
Takayama soccer ball with check mark		 soccer ball with check mark Cristiano
soccer ball with check mark Nakayama
soccer ball with check mark Tezuka
soccer ball with red X Esaka
soccer ball with check mark Suzuki
soccer ball with red X Yamazaki
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

Final

Main article: 2018 J.League Cup Final
27 October 2018 (2018-10-27) Shonan Bellmare 1–0 Yokohama F. Marinos Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
13:05 Sugioka 36' Report Attendance: 44,242
Referee: M. Kimura

Top goalscorers

As of match played 27 October 2018.[2]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Japan Sho Ito Yokohama F. Marinos 8
2 Japan Shun Nagasawa Vissel Kobe 7
3 Portugal Hugo Vieira Yokohama F. Marinos 5
South Korea Hwang Ui-jo Gamba Osaka 5

References

  1. ^ a b c "2018JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ 大会方式および試合方式について" [2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup tournament format] (in Japanese). J.League. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  2. ^ "MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2022 Stats".