# 2018 J.League Cup

The 2018 J.League Cup (2018 Jリーグカップ), or officially the 2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup (2018 JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ), was the 43rd edition of the Japanese football league cup tournament and the 26th edition under the current J. League Cup format.
The winners earned the right to play against the winners of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana in the 2019 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship.

## Format
### Byes

    Teams that qualified for 2018 AFC Champions League group stage (3 or 4 teams) are given byes to the quarterfinals.

### Group stage

    The group stage was played by 16 teams, consisting of all other 2018 J1 League participants (14 or 15 teams) plus top 1 or 2 2018 J2 League participants based on the ranking of the previous season (i.e., 16th-placed team, and 17th-placed team if applicable, of 2017 J1 League).

### Play-off stage

    Play-off stage was played as four or five two-legged ties (number depending on the number of teams given byes to the quarterfinals so that eight teams play the quarterfinals).
   * If four teams are given byes to the quarterfinals, eight teams (top two teams of each group) advances to the play-off stage and composes four ties.
   * If three teams are given byes to the quarterfinals, ten teams (top two teams of each group, plus two best third-placed teams among four groups) advances to the play-off stage and composes five ties.
After the play-off stage where eight teams are active, quarterfinals (two-legged), semi finals (two-legged) and the final (single match) were played.

## Group stage

Played between March 7 & May 16.

### Tiebreakers

To determine the ranking of a group, teams with the same points are ranked by the following criteria:
* Points in the matches between the teams in question,
* Goal differences in the matches between the teams in question,
* Number of goals in the matches between the teams in question,
* Number of away goals in the matches between the teams in question.
* In case there are still two or more tied teams by the criteria above, re-apply them for only the tied teams. If the process does not classify teams anymore, see the following criteria.
* Goal differences in all group matches,
* Number of goals in all group matches,
* Penalty shoot-out (only if just two teams are tied, and they play the last group match)
* Fewer disciplinary points,
* Drawing of lots.
To determine the best third-placed teams (if needed), teams with the same points are ranked by the following criteria:
* Goal differences in all group matches,
* Number of goals in all group matches,
* Fewer disciplinary points,
* Drawing of lots.

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | VEG | YMA | ALB | TOK |
| 1 | Vegalta Sendai | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 11 | — | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 11 | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| 3 | Albirex Niigata | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | −1 | 7 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 3–2 |
| 4 | FC Tokyo | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 4 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | JÚB | VEN | SSP | CON |
| 1 | Júbilo Iwata | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 12 | — | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 |
| 2 | Ventforet Kofu | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 10 | 0–1 | — | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| 3 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 10 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 14 | −10 | 3 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | — |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | RED | GAM | SFR | GRA |
| 1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 13 | — | 1–4 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| 2 | Gamba Osaka | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 13 | −1 | 9 | 0–1 | — | 0–4 | 1–4 |
| 3 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 7 | 0–0 | 2–3 | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | Nagoya Grampus | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 6 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–1 | — |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | VIS | BEL | VVN | SAG |
| 1 | Vissel Kobe | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 11 | — | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| 2 | Shonan Bellmare | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0–3 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| 3 | V-Varen Nagasaki | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 7 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — | 3–2 |
| 4 | Sagan Tosu | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 5 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — |

## Bracket

| Play-off stage | Play-off stage | Play-off stage | Play-off stage | Play-off stage | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Final | Final | Final | |
| 1 | Ventforet Kofu | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0 | 2 | 2 | Ventforet Kofu | Ventforet Kofu | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Kashiwa Reysol (a) | Kashiwa Reysol (a) | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Kashiwa Reysol | | | | Kashiwa Reysol (a) | Kashiwa Reysol (a) | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Bye | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Bye | | | | | | | | | Kashiwa Reysol | Kashiwa Reysol | 1 | 2 | 3 (4) | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Shonan Bellmare (p) | Shonan Bellmare (p) | 1 | 2 | 3 (5) | | | | | |
| 5 | Shonan Bellmare | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | Shonan Bellmare (p) | Shonan Bellmare (p) | 1 | 2 | 3 (5) | | | |
| 12 | Vegalta Sendai | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Vegalta Sendai | 0 | 3 | 3 | Shonan Bellmare | Shonan Bellmare | 3 | 2 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Cerezo Osaka | Cerezo Osaka | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Cerezo Osaka | | | | Cerezo Osaka | Cerezo Osaka | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Bye | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Bye | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shonan Bellmare | Shonan Bellmare | 1 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 0 | |
| 6 | Kashima Antlers | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 0 |
| 11 | Bye | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Bye | | | | Kashima Antlers | Kashima Antlers | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Kawasaki Frontale | Kawasaki Frontale | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Kawasaki Frontale | | | | Kawasaki Frontale | Kawasaki Frontale | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Bye | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Bye | | | | | | | | | Kashima Antlers | Kashima Antlers | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | |
| 7 | Gamba Osaka | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | |
| 10 | Júbilo Iwata | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Júbilo Iwata | 0 | 2 | 2 | Gamba Osaka | Gamba Osaka | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 4 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 4 | 1 | 5 | Yokohama F. Marinos | Yokohama F. Marinos | 4 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Vissel Kobe | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Play-off stage

In each tie (two-legged tie) of play-offs, quarterfinals or semifinals, away goals rule is applied for goals in the regular playing time, but not in the extra time.
Played on June 2 & 9.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Shonan Bellmare | 4–3 | Vegalta Sendai | 3–0 | 1–3 |
| Gamba Osaka | 4–2 | Júbilo Iwata | 1–0 | 3–2 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 3–2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 5–3 | Vissel Kobe | 4–2 | 1–1 |

## Quarterfinals

Played on September 5 & 9.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Shonan Bellmare | 5–2 | Cerezo Osaka | 3–0 | 2–2 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 3–3 (a) | Kashiwa Reysol | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Gamba Osaka | 1–7 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 0–4 | 1–3 |
| Kashima Antlers | 4–2 | Kawasaki Frontale | 1–1 | 3–1 |

### Second leg
## Semifinals

Played on October 10 & 14.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 3–3 (4–5 p) | Shonan Bellmare | 1–1 | 2–2 (a.e.t.) |
| Kashima Antlers | 3–4 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 1–2 | 2–2 |

### Second leg
## Final
## Top goalscorers

    As of match played 27 October 2018.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Sho Ito | Yokohama F. Marinos | 8 |
| 2 | Shun Nagasawa | Vissel Kobe | 7 |
| 3 | Hugo Vieira | Yokohama F. Marinos | 5 |
| 3 | Hwang Ui-jo | Gamba Osaka | 5 |