Finally, on April 29 (Friday, holiday), Tokyo will compete in the first J-League match at the Japan National Stadium.
Before the renovation of the National Stadium, many official matches were held since the first year of joining the J-League. There were memorable super plays and impactful events. Since the long-awaited title was won, Tokyo has won all titles at the National Stadium, symbolizing the deep connection between Tokyo and the National Stadium.
Our National.
This is TOKYO.
Before taking a new step at National, let's look back at the footprints and memories left at National along with photos from that time.
1999 The first step that gathered 40,000 people and the phantom 3rd uniform
【Match Information】
1999 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Semifinal Round Second Match
FC Tokyo 1-1 Kashima Antlers
Below the emblem, the words "HERE WE ARE! 'KOKURITSU' 6th Oct '99" were engraved. I wonder how the players wearing that vertical striped third uniform and the people who held it are doing now.
The 1999 season, when FC Tokyo was established and fought in the J2 League as a first-year member of the J League. In the final match, they achieved promotion to the J1 League, and in their first participation in the J League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup, they accomplished the remarkable feat of reaching the semifinals.
During the time as the Tokyo Gas Football Club, they reached the Semifinal Round of the Emperor's Cup. They had a strong impression in cup competitions, and in this Nabisco Cup, they successively defeated J1 teams Vissel Kobe, JEF United Chiba, and Yokohama F.Marinos. They proved that their success in the J2 League was not a fluke.
The opponent in the Semifinal Round is Kashima Antlers. They are the reigning J-League champions and also the wall that stood in front of Tokyo in the 1997 Emperor's Cup. The team's determination for this match was considerable. In the first leg played away on September 26, Kashima won 2-0, and in the second leg, Tokyo was required to win by a margin of three goals or more.
The first big game welcomed as a home game. The venue is Japan National Stadium. The club created a third uniform, but at that time, registration in the middle of the season was not allowed, and it was only worn upon entry. That is probably why it is referred to as a "phantom."
On October 6, 40,885 spectators gathered under a cloudy sky at Kokuritsu.
In the first match, Kashima tried to defend the two-goal lead they had secured, while Tokyo aggressively exploited their opponent's weaknesses, resulting in a scoreless first half. In the early part of the second half, in the 54th minute, Almir delivered a free kick that Amaral executed with an overhead kick. The loose ball was powerfully struck into the goal by Takayuki SUZUKI, securing the long-awaited opening goal. Gaining momentum from this, Yukihiko SATO repeatedly attacked from the right side. Additionally, the impressive play of Takayuki SUZUKI, who stepped onto the National Stadium pitch for the first time due to the absence of the guardian Hiromitsu HORIIKE, was also noteworthy.
Even so, in the 81st minute, they allowed a goal from Yutaka AKITA from a corner kick by the "serious Kashima," ending in a draw.
Although we could not advance to the Final Round, the fact that we troubled Kashima until the very end became a great source of confidence. On the other hand, this hard-fought effort did have an impact on the subsequent league matches. We faced struggles in our pursuit of promotion to J1 League, but all those experiences must have become a solid foundation for the club.
The right team to the right place――. It was a match filled with great anticipation and expectation.
Text by Yu Fujiwara (Freelance Writer)
