Cavric’s stoppage-time brace stuns Yokohama
Aleksandar Cavric scored twice deep in stoppage time to give Kashima Antlers a dramatic 4-3 win over Yokohama F Marinos and a winning start to their J.League title defence. The match was played in front of a league-record crowd of 63,960 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, underlining the scale of the occasion as the newly configured season began. Kaina Tanimura scored twice to help Yokohama surge into a 3-1 lead by the 58th minute, while Leo Ceara also struck twice for Kashima, including a late goal that kept the comeback alive.
Cavric’s goals in the 99th and 102nd minutes turned what looked like a damaging opening-night defeat into one of the most memorable league wins in recent memory. For Kashima, the result was an immediate statement that their title defence remains alive despite defensive problems, while Yokohama were left to rue letting a two-goal advantage slip. The match also symbolised the league’s new August-to-May calendar, with the season-opening spectacle drawing unprecedented attention and a record crowd to Tokyo's National Stadium.
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