Defending champions Kashima Antlers made an impressive start to the new J.League first division season, coming from behind to beat Yokohama F Marinos 4-3 at MUFG Stadium. The Friday evening opener featured a flurry of goals and a standout performance from substitute Aleksandar Cavric.
Yokohama F Marinos took an early lead, but Kashima quickly responded to restore parity. The tightly contested match swung back and forth before reaching a dramatic climax in the final minutes.
The turning point came in stoppage time when Cavric, brought on from the bench, scored twice in quick succession to seal a thrilling 4-3 win for the visitors. The result gave Kashima's coach and players a perfect start to their title defense campaign.
For Yokohama F Marinos, letting victory slip away at home was a disappointing outcome, especially after they had controlled stretches of the match. They will need to learn quickly if they want to compete strongly this season.
