Will a miracle happen...

1 win and 6 losses... This is the record for the seven league matches since October. At the end of September, the point difference with the 3rd place team was 12, and FC Tokyo was leading the league comfortably, making promotion to J1 seem just around the corner. However, J1 was not that easy. Just as Kawasaki Frontale struggled over the past two years, and Sapporo has been struggling this year, FC Tokyo was tormented by the invisible monster called "pressure." They lost every crucial match where "one more win" was needed, and finally, in the previous round, they gave up their 2nd place position, which they had been holding onto, to Oita. There is only one promotion spot left, and automatic promotion is no longer possible. For FC Tokyo to be promoted, Oita had to lose or draw in their match held at the same time, so FC Tokyo had no choice but to win. Whether in tears or laughter, this day was the last game, and the opponent was Niigata, who had lost all three matches against FC Tokyo this season. The situation was far from ideal, but last year, Tokyo Gas FC also secured their "miraculous comeback championship" in the final game against Niigata, making this matchup feel like fate. For the approximately 500 passionate supporters who traveled all the way to Niigata, FC Tokyo wanted to fight with all their might until the very last moment and deliver the best possible gift.

Tokyo's determination overwhelms Niigata!

The large cheering squad that rushed from Tokyo overwhelmed the opponents even before the match started. The variety, volume, and quality of their songs and chants all surpassed those of the home team, making it hard to feel that this was an away game. The Tokyo eleven responded to this passionate "spirit" by aggressively pushing forward from the start of the match. As usual, Yukihiko launched attacks from the right side, and in the first minute, Okuhara jumped to head a cross from Yukihiko. Although it narrowly went over the bar, Kagami then made a diving header from a left-side corner kick! This also missed, but Tokyo's fierce and spirited assault had begun. Tokyo basically built their attacks from the sides; when the vertical lanes were congested, they passed back to the midfielders Asari and Almir to switch the ball to the opposite side. On the right side, defender Umeyama and midfielder Yukihiko combined exquisitely, breaking through with Yukihiko's individual dribbling skills, while on the left side, midfielder Okuhara used his abundant stamina to break free at the right timing and create chances. Forward Amaral was heavily marked by Niigata defender Sergio with borderline fouls, limiting his play, but central midfielder Kagami became a stable focal point in the front line with his reliable hold-up play, allowing Tokyo to circulate the ball smoothly. On the other hand, Niigata specializes in rhythmic attacks with short passes through the center, but Tokyo's relentless pressure from the front line on this day cut off passing lanes, forcing Niigata into a monotonous attack of long kicks forward. Occasionally, midfielder Ricardo kept possession with individual skills in midfield and delivered well-timed balls to sharp overlapping runs on both sides, but the stable defensive line centered on defensive midfielder Asari, defender Sandro, and Komine could not be broken down.

Kagami scores the long-awaited opening goal!

The match progressed at Tokyo's pace, and at the 31st minute, the long-awaited opening goal finally came for Tokyo. DF Umeyama broke through on the right side and continued to advance, passing the ball to Yukihiko ahead. Without taking a touch, Yukihiko returned the ball to Kagawa in the center, who trapped it with his back to the goal, turned around, and shot with his left foot! This beautifully executed shot finally secured the first goal of the season against Niigata.

Niigata, which allowed its first goal in Tokyo, is shaken. Niigata's attack remains monotonous; although they connect passes in the midfield, they cannot bring it to a finish. Tokyo's press is strong and perfect, leaving no openings for Niigata to exploit.

The first half ended with a 1-0 lead, and as the second half began, Tokyo's attacks intensified. Fujiyama, who had been cautious not to advance too much in the first half to cover the opponent's attacking fullbacks, started to move forward in the second half. At the 8th minute, Fujiyama advanced up the left side with his signature dribbling and delivered a perfect through pass to Okuhara up front. Okuhara accurately crossed the ball back to the center, where Amaral made a perfect header! However, he slipped and missed a golden scoring opportunity. At the 10th minute, Fujiyama again forcefully dribbled past defenders to the goal area and took a shot, but it was unsuccessful. Immediately after, Yukihiko broke through on the right side with a one-two pass with Umeyama, delivering a perfect cross. But Amaral missed again, and Tokyo just couldn't add another goal. On the contrary, Niigata brought on FW Sauro at the 14th minute, and their attack began to gain rhythm. Sauro, positioned on the left side, used his ball control to become a focal point and created chances in combination with Ricardo. At the 28th minute, Sauro dribbled and held the ball near the goal, forcing Tokyo's defenders to foul him. Ricardo took the resulting direct free kick with precision, and the ball curved sharply, hitting the crossbar. It was a nerve-wracking moment for Tokyo, who could not afford a draw.

After a complete victory over Niigata, a miracle awaits Tokyo as they await their destiny...

Time passed quickly, and both teams continued their desperate struggle. Tokyo, wanting to seize their first victory of the season from Niigata and pinning their hopes on promotion to J1, clashed with Niigata's determination to secure a win in their final home match.

Around the same time, there was information that Oita, in second place, had taken the lead against their opponent Yamagata. Oita was in a very advantageous situation at home, and if they scored another goal, it would be impossible for Yamagata to equalize. The players in Tokyo had no way of knowing this situation, but Coach Okuma was receiving regular updates. Conceding a goal for Tokyo would be fatal, and if Oita scored again, it would be all over. In any case, Tokyo's priority was to win against Niigata in front of them.

14:57, just before the end of the match there was a dangerous moment, but time was up, and Tokyo was able to achieve a remarkable victory over their rivals, Niigata. However, there were no triumphant smiles on the faces of the players, staff, or fans. This was due to the information that Oita was leading 1-0 as they entered stoppage time. In terms of the situation, it was 99% certain that Oita would win, which meant that Tokyo's 'J1 promotion' would not be realized. But in the next moment, something unbelievable happened. It was reported that Oita had been equalized just before the end. "No way...", Tokyo officials felt a 'sense of miracle'. Shortly after that, it was reported that Oita had entered extra time. However, no one was overjoyed yet. From here, the 'longest 30 minutes of the year' awaited.

At this point, for FC Tokyo to be promoted to J1, the condition was that Oita would lose in extra time or draw. Time felt heavy and passed slowly. The players took showers in the locker room, the staff exchanged information with the press, and the fans remained silent, not moving a step. At 15:13, news came that the first half of extra time ended in a draw. With 15 minutes remaining, we felt like praying to the gods. Time passed slowly but surely and steadily. At 15:30, with 1 minute left, just a little more. The next moment, the stadium shook with cheers like "Yatta!" and "Whoa!" from the stands. Oita had exhausted themselves and the news came that the match ended in a draw. It was not a dream; we really did it! We grabbed J1. The players let out a roar and rushed out from the locker room onto the field. From the opposite side, fans climbed over the fence and poured out. Some were crying, some were laughing, players, staff, and fans all mixed together hugging each other. It didn’t matter who; we just wanted to share the joy by embracing. I don’t remember much after that, but I was just so happy. Throughout this season’s 36 league matches, 8 Nabisco Cup matches, and since the J2 opening on March 14, we never looked back and kept moving forward without rest. It is often said that "sports are unscripted dramas." Who could have written the script for FC Tokyo’s "Road to J1"? Experiencing this "unscripted drama" of "heaven and earth" since October will surely be useful from next year onward.

However, this is not the end for this year. One week later, the "Emperor's Cup" will begin, which FC Tokyo will participate in for the first time. We will switch our mindset, give our all, and build a new history.