A crop of the best #NextGenJLEAGUE stars are now the best on the continent after beating Uzbekistan, 1-0, to win the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup final.

Two J.League rivals combined for the winning tally as Tokyo Verdy’s Fuki Yamada scored the winning goal in the first minute of stoppage time with a gorgeous shot from 20 yards after a beautiful backheel from FC Tokyo’s Ryotaro Araki.

The combination between the two capital club men was a goal to remember, but the fireworks were far from over as Uzbekistan were awarded a penalty kick that was finally taken in the tenth minute of added time after an extended look from VAR.

Goalkeeper Leo Kokubo, a Kashiwa Reysol academy product who is now in Portugal with Benfica B, lived up to the moment. Diving to his right, Kokubo emphatically steered Umarali Rakhmonaliev's spot kick away from goal to deliver the trophy to Japan and seal his place in the nation's football history books.

A first U23 crown since 2016 is now coming home to Japan, but both nations are headed to the 2024 Olympics by virtue of making the final of the continental competition.