Kashima Antlers Defeats V-Varen Nagasaki 2-0 in J1 League Match

Kashima Antlers defeated V-Varen Nagasaki 2-0 in a J1 League encounter at Mercari Stadium, in front of 25,145 spectators. The match was effectively decided in the opening minutes of the contest, as Kashima capitalized on early mistakes to establish a comfortable lead.

The scoring opened in the 2nd minute when Marko Cvijanovic was brought down inside the penalty area by Takuma Ominami, resulting in a penalty kick. Leo Ceara calmly converted from the spot with his right foot to put the hosts ahead. Just three minutes later, Kashima recovered the possession in their own half and moved the ball through Leo Ceara and Haruki Hayashi. Hayashi slipped a precise through ball to Cvijanovic, who rounded goalkeeper Masaaki Goto and slotted it into the bottom right corner to make it 2-0 within the first five minutes.

Following the early onslaught, V-Varen Nagasaki regrouped and began to generate attacking momentum. In the 18th minute, Jonathan Junior broke through the defensive line for a one-on-one opportunity with Kashima goalkeeper Tomoki Hayakawa, but the shot was successfully blocked. Nagasaki continued to press throughout the first half, outshooting Kashima eight to three before the intermission.

In the second half, Kashima gradually regained control of the tempo, though Nagasaki's disciplined defense prevented the wide-open spaces that characterized the opening minutes. Nagasaki threatened on the counterattack, with Hayakawa stopping a shot from Kenshin Yasuda around the 62nd minute and defender Naomichi Ueda clearing a lob shot by Matheus Jesus off the goal line in the 83rd minute. Despite being outshot 15 to six overall, Kashima maintained their defensive resolve to secure their second consecutive league clean sheet.

In other developments regarding V-Varen Nagasaki, 21-year-old center-back Kanta Doi has continued to earn consistent playing time following his summer developmental loan from FC Tokyo. Competing in his ninth league appearance for the club during a recent match against Urawa Reds, Doi has expressed confidence in his individual one-on-one defending and cross-coverage, though he noted that preventing decisive through balls remains a key area for personal development.

Meanwhile, off the pitch, V-Varen Nagasaki's home venue, Peace Stadium Connected by SoftBank at Nagasaki Stadium City, has been serving as a prominent platform for regional partnerships. Official club partner CCH has been utilizing the stadium's large video screens during the 2026/27 season to broadcast promotional campaigns for its performance-based recruitment support service, Nexca, aimed at addressing regional staffing shortages.

Kashima Antlers' victory over Nagasaki marked an important step in their October campaign under manager Toru Oniki, as the club balanced J1 League fixtures with the AFC Champions League Elite. Despite a heavy schedule and lingering injuries within the squad, Kashima's defensive improvements and early-game efficiency proved decisive in securing the three points at home.