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Frontale celebrate Japan title with soapy mementos
TOKYO, Nov 11, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale were left with a bittersweet taste after retaining their J-League title at the weekend but celebrated in unusual style — by waving bathing bowls at their joyous fans.
The Swarovski-designed wooden buckets, used by Japanese to pour water on themselves and remove soap before entering a bath, cost around $10,000 each, local media reported on Sunday after Frontale wrapped up back-to-back championships, despite losing 2-1 at Cerezo Osaka.
Nearest rivals Sanfrecce Hirohima’s 1-0 home flop against Vegalta Sendai on Saturday meant Kawasaki opened an insurmountable seven-point lead at the top of the table and became the fifth Japanese team to retain the J-League crown.
“It feels totally different to last year’s championship,” admitted Kawasaki veteran Kengo Nakamura.
“All season we’ve felt frustrated that everyone just expected us to win. It’s just such a relief to get rid of that feeling.”
Kawasaki’s players joyfully raised their buckets — an inside joke punning the Japanese word “furo” (bath) with “Frontale” — but their title win was overshadowed by Japanese rivals Kashima Antlers, who won the Asian Champions League final in Tehran on Saturday.
“Gorgeous buckets,” purred Nakamura nonetheless. “This club thinks of everything!”
Frontale looked to have snatched a 1-1 draw at Cerezo after a late Akihiro Ienaga penalty but an injury-time winner from Kazuya Yamamura triggered a nervous wait to hear the result from Hiroshima.
BSS/AFP/AU/15:05 hrs