Though Kawasaki Frontale had already clinched a second consecutive MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE title and a fourth championship in five seasons, they still had something left to play for on Saturday - an unbeaten home season.

Frontale delivered that, thrashing Gamba Osaka, 4-1. Leandro Damião scored two, moving him into a tie atop the league’s goalscoring charts, while Reo Hatate and Shintaro Kurumaya also found the back of the net to complete their undefeated home campaign.

With some of the league’s most passionate supporters at his team’s back, Toru Oniki has built a machine in Kawasaki, amassing an impressive trophy haul and now giving those adoring fans an entire season without a loss at their home ground.

When next season kicks off, Kawasaki won’t just enter as defending champions but it will be nearly 16 months since the Frontale faithful last saw their team lose at home. A fortress, indeed.