Football league and cup titles roundup, December 2007

Milan capped off another successful year by winning the 2007 World Club Championship in Japan, overcoming Boca Juniors 4-2 in the final on December 16th. This was the third edition of the tournament, created to replace the Europe vs. South America Intercontinental Cup, and the first to be won by a team from Europe. The tournament featured 7 teams this time around - the 6 continental champions plus, for the first time, a club from host country Japan. This is, frankly, ridiculous. It just lengthens the tournament unnecessarily. If there are problems with generating interest in Japan why not start holding it at a different site every year? Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds took third place, overcoming Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel on penalties after a 2-2 draw. The remaining clubs in the tournament were Mexicans Pachuca, Iranians Sepahan and amateur outfit Waitakere United from New Zealand.

In Argentina Lanús won the 2007 Apertura title, their first-ever league championship. The unfashionable club from the south of Buenos Aires held off the even more obscure Tigre down the stretch to end the 92-year wait for the Granate. Boca Juniors finished fourth while River Plate finished a miserable 14th, one of their worst-ever seasons. 

Another Argentine club coming up roses for the first-ever time was Arsenal de Sarandí . El Arse won the 2007 Copa Sudamericana, defeating Mexicans Club América in the final, taking the title on away goals after a 3-2 win away and a 2-1 loss at home. Arsenal have long lived in the shadow of their more illustrious neighbors Racing and Independiente but their long and steady climb up the ranks has finally been rewarded.

A summer move to Cancún proved to be a good-luck charm for Atlante, who captured the 2007 Apertura title with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Pumas. After 89 years of life in the Mexican capital and 89 years of struggling for fan support with América, Cruz Azul and Pumas, the Potros de Hierro moved to the southern state of Yucatan. They were the second of the Mexico City’s clubs to move elsewhere in recent years, after Necaxa moved to Aguascalientes in 2003.

Kashima Antlers won a league and cup double in Japan, claiming their fifth overall league title and third Emperor’s Cup. The Antlers took the title on a dramatic last day beating Shimizu S-Pulse while Urawa Reds fell to bottom club Yokohama FC, allowing Kashima to finish two points clear. A special word must be said for Yokohama FC , formed by supporters of old J.League club Yokohama Flugels. Despite finishing far off the pace at the bottom of the table, the season certainly wasn’t without excitement. In their very first home game in the first division they beat arch-rivals Yokohama F. Marinos 1-0 as well as deciding the league title with their shock victory over Urawa Reds. There’s always a downside however – they lost 8-1 in the return match with Yokohama Marinos!

Kashima Antlers took the Emperor’s Cup after a 2-0 defeat of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, the final being played as always on New Year’s Day. On the promotion and relegation front, Yokohama FC and Ventforet Kofu went down automatically while Sanfrecce Hiroshima lost a playoff with Kyoto Sanga and will spend next season in the J2. Joining Kyoto Sanga in promotion are J2  champions Consadole Saporro and second-place finishers Tokyo Verdy.

Cork City won the 2007 FAI Cup in the Republic of Ireland, knocking off Longford Town 1-0. This was the second Cup title for Cork City, arguably the best supported team in Ireland.