Will a miracle happen...

1 win, 6 losses... This is the result of the 7 league matches in October. At the end of September, the difference in points with the 3rd place was "12", and the top spot seemed to be within reach for FC Tokyo. However, "J1" was not that easy. Just like Kawasaki Frontale struggled for the past 2 years, and this year's Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo struggled, they were plagued by an invisible monster called "pressure". They lost every important match with the thought of "if we win one more...", and finally gave up their 2nd place spot to Oita Trinita in the previous round. There is only one spot left for promotion to "J1", and FC Tokyo no longer has the chance to secure it on their own. In order for Tokyo to be promoted, Oita must lose or draw in their match at the same time, and Tokyo must win at all costs. This day is the last game, and the opponent is Albirex Niigata, who has lost all 3 matches against Tokyo this season. The situation was not good, but last year, Tokyo Gas FC won the "miraculous comeback championship" in the last game against Niigata, so there is a sense of fate. For the large cheering squad of about 500 people who have come all the way to Niigata, we wanted to fight until the last moment without giving up and give them the best gift.

Tokyo's passion overwhelms Niigata!

The large cheering squad that rushed from Tokyo had been overwhelming the opponent since before the game. Whether it was the variety, volume, or quality of the songs and chants, they surpassed those of the home team and did not make it feel like this was an away game. The Tokyo Eleven responded to that passionate "feeling" by fiercely attacking from the start of the game. As always, Yukihiro made a move from the right side for Tokyo, and in the first minute, Okuhara jumped for a cross from Yukihiro. Unfortunately, it went over the bar, but then Kagami made a diving header from the following corner kick! This one also missed, but Tokyo's intense attacks fueled by their determination had begun. Tokyo mainly built their attacks from the sides, and when the center was crowded, Asari and Almir in the midfield would pass the ball back to the opposite side. From the right side, DF Umayama and MF Yukihiro had a perfect combination, and Yukihiro's individual skills would break through, while from the left side, MF Okuhara would create chances with his abundant stamina. FW Amaral was unable to play as he wanted due to the intense marking by Niigata DF Sergio, but MF Kagami became a stable post player in the center, allowing Tokyo to smoothly pass the ball. On the other hand, Niigata is good at connecting small passes rhythmically from the center, but on this day, Tokyo relentlessly pressured them from the front line, causing their attacks to become monotonous, kicking the ball forward when there were no passing lanes. Occasionally, Ricardo would use his individual skills to keep the ball in the midfield and send a well-timed pass to the sharp overlapping on both sides, but they were unable to break through the stable defense line centered around DM Asari, DF Sandro, and Komine.

Kagami scores the long-awaited opening goal!

The game progressed at a Tokyo pace, and in the 31st minute, Tokyo finally scored the long-awaited opening goal. DF Umayama dribbled through on the right side and continued to run up, passing to Yukihiro in front. Yukihiro passed the ball to Kaga in the center without stopping, and Kaga turned with his back to the goal and took a shot with his left foot! It was a beautiful goal, and finally, they took the first goal of the season from Niigata.

Niigata, who conceded their first goal in Tokyo, is shaken. Niigata's attack is still monotonous, and although passes are connected in the midfield, they cannot bring it to a finish. Tokyo's press was strong and perfect, not giving Niigata any chance to take advantage.

Tokyo's attack intensifies as the first half ends 1-0 and the second half begins. In the first half, Fujiyama, who was careful of the opponent's attacking full-back, did not jump out much, but in the second half, he started to move. In the 8th minute, Fujiyama dribbled up the left side and made a perfect through pass to Okuhara on the front line. Okuhara accurately crossed the ball to the center, where Amaral ran in and headed it perfectly! But just as I thought it was going to be a goal, he slipped and missed a great scoring opportunity. In the following 10 minutes, Fujiyama forcefully dribbled through to the goal, but his shot did not go in. Immediately after that, Yukihiro and Umeyama passed back and forth on the right side, and Yukihiro broke through and made a perfect cross. However, Amaral missed again, and they couldn't score an additional point. On the other hand, when Niigata brought in FW Sauro in the 14th minute, their attack began to pick up pace. Sauro, who entered the left side, became a base with his ball control and created chances with Ricardo. In the 28th minute, Sauro dribbled and kept the ball in front of the goal, and the Tokyo DF couldn't take it and committed a foul. Ricardo took the direct free kick and shot it, but the ball sharply curved and hit the bar. It was a scene that made Tokyo, who couldn't afford a draw, nervous.

After defeating Niigata, a miracle awaits Tokyo as they await their destiny...

Time passed by moment by moment, and the fierce battle between the two teams continued. Tokyo, who wants to grab their first victory of the season from Niigata and keep their hopes of "J1 promotion" alive, clashed with Niigata, who wants to secure a victory at their final home game no matter what.

Around the same time, there was information that 2nd place Oita had taken the lead from their opponent Yamagata. Oita had a clear advantage in their home game, and it would have been impossible for Yamagata to catch up if they were to concede another goal. The Tokyo players were unaware of this situation, but coach Okuma was being updated regularly. Conceding a goal would be fatal for Tokyo, and if Oita were to score another, it would be all over. In any case, Tokyo's priority was to win against Niigata in the immediate future.

14:57, the game ended with a dangerous situation, but the time was up and Tokyo was able to get a victory from their arch-rival, Niigata. However, there were no satisfied smiles on the faces of the players, staff, or fans. This was because there was information that Oita was leading 1-0 and entering stoppage time. In terms of the situation, it was 99% certain that Oita would win, which meant that Tokyo's promotion to J1 would not be realized. But in the next moment, something unbelievable happened. Oita was tied in the last minute. "No way..." Tokyo officials felt a "miracle feeling". And right after that, it was reported that Oita had entered extra time. However, no one was celebrating yet. From here, the "longest 30 minutes of the year" awaited.

At this point, in order for Tokyo to be promoted to J1, Oita had to lose or draw in extra time. Time passed slowly and heavily. The players took showers in the locker room and the staff exchanged information with the press. The fans remained silent, not moving an inch. At 15:13, news came in that the first half of extra time ended in a draw. There were 15 minutes left, and it felt like praying to God. Time passed slowly, but it was ticking away surely and steadily. At 15:30, there was only 1 minute left. And then, in the next moment, the stadium shook with cheers and screams of "Yatta!" and "Woohoo!" The news came in that Oita had run out of steam and the game ended in a draw. It wasn't a dream, it was real! They had grabbed J1. The players burst out of the locker room, shouting triumphantly, and flooded onto the field. Fans climbed over the fence from the other side. Some were crying, some were laughing, and everyone, players, staff, and fans, embraced each other in a chaotic celebration. It didn't matter who it was, they just wanted to share the joy with each other. I don't remember much after that, but I was just so happy. In the entire season of 36 league games and 8 Nabisco Cup games, since the J2 opening on March 14th, they had never looked back and kept moving forward without rest. It's often said that "sports is an unpredictable drama." Who could have written the script for FC Tokyo's "Road to J1"? Experiencing the "unpredictable drama of heaven and earth" since October will surely be useful in the years to come.

However, this is not the end of the year. In one week, we will face the "Emperor's Cup" for the first time as FC Tokyo. Let's switch our mindset, give our all, and continue to build a new history.