Finally, on April 29th (Fri, holiday), Tokyo will have its first J-League match at the new Japan National Stadium.
At the National Stadium before the renovation, we have played many official matches since our first year in the J-League. There were memorable super plays and impactful events. Since winning our long-awaited title, Tokyo has won all titles at the National Stadium, symbolizing the deep connection between Tokyo and the National Stadium.
Our National Stadium.
This is TOKYO.
Before taking a new step at the National Stadium, let's look back at the footprints and memories we have left at the previous National Stadium with photos from that time.
1999 40,000 people gathered for the first step and the elusive 3rd uniform
[Match Information]
1999 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Semifinal Round 2
FC Tokyo 1-1 Kashima Antlers
Under the emblem, the words "HERE WE ARE! "KOKURITSU" 6th Oct '99" were engraved. I wonder how the players who wore that vertical striped third uniform and the people who held it in their hands are doing now on that day.
FC Tokyo was founded in 1999 and competed in the J2 League as their first season in the J.League. In the final match, they achieved promotion to the J1 League and also made a remarkable achievement by reaching the semi-finals in their first participation in the J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup.
During their time as Tokyo Gas Football Club, they advanced to the semifinals in the Emperor's Cup. They had a strong impression in cup competitions, and in this Nabisco Cup, they defeated J1 teams Vissel Kobe, JEF United Chiba, and Yokohama F.Marinos one after another. They proved that their success in the J2 league was not a fluke.
The semifinal opponent is Kashima Antlers. They are the previous year's J-League champions and also the team that stood in Tokyo's way in the 1997 Emperor's Cup. The team's determination for this match was significant. The first match was played on September 26th at away, and Kashima won 2-0. In the second match, Tokyo needed to win by a margin of 3 points or more.
The first big game to be held as a home game. The venue is the Japan National Stadium. The club created a third uniform, but at the time, it was not allowed to be registered in the middle of the season, so it was only worn during entry. That is probably why it is called a "phantom".
October 6th, a cloudy Kokuritsu with a crowd of 40,885 spectators.
Tokyo aggressively took advantage of their opponent's weaknesses and kept the score level in the first half against Kashima, who were trying to hold onto their two-goal lead from the first match. In the 54th minute of the second half, Amoroso sent a free kick that was overhead by Almir, who then kicked it in with a powerful shot after the ball bounced off. With the long-awaited opening goal, Tokyo gained momentum and Yukihiro Sato, who was the starting point on the right side, continued to attack multiple times. The absence of their guardian, Hiromitsu Horike, allowed for the impressive play of Takayuki Suzuki, who stepped onto the pitch at the National Stadium for the first time.
However, in the 81st minute, Yutaka AKITA scored a goal from a CK for "serious Kashima", and the game ended in a draw.
Although we couldn't make it to the final round, we gained a lot of confidence by giving Kashima a hard time until the very end. On the other hand, this hard-fought battle did not have any impact on the following league match. We may struggle towards promotion to the J1 league, but all of these experiences should become a solid foundation for the club.
The appropriate team goes to the appropriate place――. It was also a match where the feeling and expectation grew greatly.
Text by Yoru Fujiwara (Freelance Writer)
