After 120 minutes, Nagoya and Shimizu couldn't be split at one-all so the match went to penalties with Grampus running out 5-3 winners with Kennedy converting from the spot.

Nagoya will now face Gamba Osaka, who have already qualified for the Champions League via a third-place J.League finish, in the Emperor's Cup final on New Year's Day.

Earlier Nagoya had started the better with Kennedy providing the assist for a chance from Keiji Yoshimura which fizzed wide.

Shimizu soon responded, with Japan international Shinji Okazaki threatening before actually netting on 16 minutes with a flick from a long-ball forward which caught out Nagoya stopper Seigo Narazaki.

For the rest of the half, Nagoya struggled in the front third, with Kennedy lacking supply and unable to make an impact.

But after the break Nagoya upped the tempo, with Kennedy smashing a header into the crossbar from Alex Santos's cross.

And minutes later the Australian, who was causing Shimizu all sorts of problems, won a penalty after a tangle in the box. Keiji Tamada duly stepped up to level scores on 56 minutes.

Neither side could claim the winner after 120 minutes of football and the game went to spotkicks.

Kennedy stepped up first to convert for Nagoya, before Shimizu's Daisuke Ichikawa hit his shot against the bar to give Grampus the ascendancy.

The next seven penalties were converted, before Nagoya substitute Keita Sugimoto won it with a shot which crept in off the crossbar and Shimizu stopper Kaito Yamamoto.