Fresh from winning the 2018 AFC Champions League - their first Continental crown - Kashima will face Urawa Red Diamonds in the Emperor's Cup semi-finals on December 5.

Should Kashima defeat Urawa - which will be a meeting between the last two AFC Champions League winners - they will face Vegalta Sendai or Montedio Yamagata in the final four days later.

The Emperor's Cup is important to both Kashima and Urawa as emerging champions would mean automatic entry to the group stage of the 2019 AFC Champions League.

The 20-year-old Hong Konger scored a dramatic winner in Matchday Four against Kashiwa Reysol that ensured a historic first AFC Champions League win for both his club Kitchee SC and, indeed, the first victory in the competition for Hong Kong.

Coming into the game with a two-goal advantage enabled Kashima to play a waiting game in the second leg, and they pressed and harried for 90 minutes to see themselves crowned as kings of the continent.

The 22-year-old played a key role as Japan’s Kashima Antlers sealed their maiden continental crown with a 0-0 second leg draw away to Persepolis of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Saturday, after winning the first leg of the final 2-0.

The young Japan star was in no doubt as to the magnitude of the team’s success, and is sure it is a triumph he will look back on with great pride in years to come.

Aiwa led from the front as Kashima utilised their game plan to perfection to blunt Persepolis, holding the Islamic Republic of Iran side to a 0-0 draw to win their first AFC Champions League title 2-0 on aggregate.

Fittingly, the title the Japanese club craved the most turned out to be the 20th major honour in their history and Oiwa paid tribute to his players.

"It was a very tough game but my players were very mobile, battled well and I am delighted with the result. I lost my voice but it is worth it," said Oiwa.

Suzuki's performances in the 2018 AFC Champions League played a pivotal role in Kashima's surge to the title for the first time, with the 22-year-old striker - with two goals to his name - having developed a solid understanding with Brazilian Serginho.

"I am really, really happy with the fact that I was selected for the ACL MVP. but this award is not just about myself but it’s the result of the team performance," said Suzuki.

A stalwart rearguard action from the visitors frustrated their hosts and the bulk of the 100,000 supporters who had crammed themselves into the cavernous venue in Tehran, with Persepolis unable to reduce Kashima’s two-goal advantage.

Of the few chances that did fall Persepolis’ way, the majority came to striker Ali Alipour but he was unable to make them count, as Go Oiwa’s side secured the 0-0 draw to make it back-to-back Asian champions from the J.League after Urawa Red Diamonds’ triumph last year.