Read the full story with photos at:
https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/1208_01.html
It was a perfect end to a J1 League qualifying final show down! With no question on who the winner was. Tokushima Vortis made history by becoming the first team ever to ascend to J1 (the top J. League) out from Shikoku, after beating Kyoto Sanga F.C. 2 – 0.
It was a long 2013 J2 year for Vortis, ranking fourth in J2 when they played against JEF UNITED CHIBA in the semi-finals. They tied. But since the opposing team was ranked 5th, Vortis automatically got to move onto the play-offs against Kyoto Sanga F.C., who was one place ahead of Vortis in J2 League.
Vortis did not disappoint. It did even better than anyone had expected. First goal delivered by Mitsuru Chiyotanda after 39 minutes of the first half.
The crowds roared with the lead-in goal as Kyoto Sanga F.C. kept a strong offense pushing forward trying to get itself back in the game, but Tokushima did not weaken its defense. And it wasn’t long before Tokushima doubled its lead with powerful shot from Vortis. This time, Tomohiro Tsuda helped seal the victory two minutes before the first half ended.
The result knocked the Kyoto members out of J1 League and the dream of entering J1 League for Vortis was finally granted as the second half of the game ended without any goals from both sides.
History was made on Sunday, not just for Shikoku successfully sending its first team to J1 League, but it was also the last J. League game played at the National Stadium before it will be rebuilt for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Tokushima Vortis is a soccer club in Japan’s professional league, J. League. The club, which emerged from a soccer club at Otsuka, was established in 2004 in cooperation with Tokushima city and prefectural authorities, aiming to bring new vibrancy to the region. It has been playing in the J2 league since 2005.
The club is actively involved in community contribution activities in cooperation with the Prefectural Board of Education, including helping to create the J. League’s first supplementary reader for a physical fitness textbook and a food education program.