The 2025 J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP 2nd Round concluded on Wednesday, and there was another shock as 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE side Kataller Toyama knocked out Nagoya Grampus of the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The opening 90 minutes at Toyama Stadium ended scoreless as neither team were able to find a way through, but Toyama broke the deadlock in the ninth minute of extra time when Hayate Take powerfully headed home Sho Fuseya’s deep cross from the right.
Mateus Castro made it 1-1 just two minutes later to force the game into a penalty shoot-out, but Toyama weren’t to be denied and emerged victorious after missing just one of their seven spot-kicks.
A quartet of other first division sides were also taken the distance by MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE opposition, as Cerezo Osaka, FC TOKYO, Tokyo Verdy, and Gamba Osaka all required extra time to seal progression to the 3rd Round.
There was an extraordinary contest in Imabari, where C-Osaka won 4-3 after an absolute rollercoaster against FC Imabari.
C-Osaka looked to be cruising after goals from Vitor Bueno and Jaroensak Wonggorn in the opening quarter of an hour, but two goals in three minutes from Yuri Takeuchi and Kosuke Fujioka made it 2-2 at the break.
Tomoki Hino then put Imabari ahead three minutes after half-time, but Shinji Kagawa restored parity with a penalty in the 80th minute and Hayato Okuda broke Imabari hearts in the 118th minute as he drilled home from the edge of the area.
FC TOKYO were also made to work by second division opposition, needing 120 minutes to earn a 3-1 win over RB Omiya Ardija.
Marcelo Ryan opened the scoring for FC TOKYO in the 56th minute, and although Kenyu Sugimoto equalised for Omiya with eight minutes of regular time remaining Marcelo Ryan struck twice more in extra time to wrap up the win.
Meanwhile, Tokyo-V needed a Yudai Kimura equaliser in the second minute of injury time to cancel out Ryotaro Ishida’s 33rd-minute opener for Blaublitz Akita. Yuya Fukuda then struck the decisive blow with two minutes of extra time remaining to deliver Tokyo-V a 2-1 win.
Things weren’t straightforward for G-Osaka either, with their 1-0 win away to Mito Hollyhock not secure until Juan Alano’s goal in the fourth minute of extra time.
Elsewhere, Avispa Fukuoka, Yokohama FC, and Kashiwa Reysol all navigated tricky ties against 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE opposition.
Fukuoka beat Tochigi SC 2-1, Yokohama FC won by the same score against Giravanz Kitakyushu, and Kashiwa defeated Fukushima United FC 3-2.
