Kofu fans. Source.
It's the final of the 102nd Emperor's Cup. Ventforet Kofu play Sanfrecce Hiroshima. This is the first time that a J2 club has appeared in the final since Montedio Yamagata in 2014. Sanfrecce are currently third in J1, Ventforet 18th in J2.
These two finalists have crossed paths in the Emperor's Cup twice before, in 1994 and 2013, and Sanfrecce won both times. Sanfrecce have taken the cup three times, Ventforet never.
The last time Sanfrecce and Ventforet played each other was in the 2017 J1 League, the year Ventforet were relegated. They took one win each.
The game takes place at Nissan Stadium, Yokohama F. Marinos' home park. The National Stadium is being used for a first anniversary celebration of the Tokyo Olympics.
This year's final is being staged two and a half months earlier than normal to free up Japan's national team players for the World Cup in Qatar.
Match No. 87: Ventforet Kofu (J2) [1 - 1] Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1) [Ventforet win on PK.]
Ventforet Kofu in the Emperor's Cup:
As Kofu Club
第52回* R1 Kofu Club 4 - 1 Nippon Steel Muroran
R2 Hitachi 2 - 0 Kofu Club
第64回 R1 Kofu Club 0 - 3 Yamaha Motors
第66回 R1 Honda 3 - 0 Kofu Club
第74回 R1 Kofu Club 1 - 0 Sapporo University
R2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2 - 0 Kofu Club
As Ventforet Kofu
第76回 R1 Kawazoe Club 2 - 5 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 2 Kokushikan University
第77回 R1 Kanagawa University 1 - 3 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Fukuoka University
R3 Cerezo Osaka 5 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第78回 R1 Kawazoe Club 0 - 6 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 6 - 1 Doto University
R3 Cerezo Osaka 4 - 6 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Ventforet Kofu 0 - 3 Yokohama Flügels
第79回 R1 Maebashi Commercial High School 1 - 2 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 0 - 0 Sony Sendai (Sony won on PK.)
第80回 R1 Matsushita Electric Iga 0 - 4 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Doto University
R3 FC Tokyo 0 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
R4 JEF United 3 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第81回 R1 Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences 0 - 4 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 ALO's Hokuriku
R3 Urawa Red Diamonds 2 - 0 Ventforet Kofu
第82回 R1 Tsukuba University 1 - 3 Ventforet Kofu
R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 0 Alouette Kumamoto
R3 Vegalta Sendai 1 - 0 Ventforet Kofu
第83回 R1 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 0 Fukui University of Technology
R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Momoyama Gakuin University
R3 Tokyo Verdy 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第84回 R3 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Sony Sendai
R4 Oita Trinita 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第85回 R3 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Biwako Seikei SC
R4 JEF United 3 - 2 Ventforet Kofu
第86回 R4 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 2 Montedio Yamagata
R5 Kawasaki Frontale 2 - 5 Ventforet Kofu
QF Ventforet Kofu 0 - 2 Consadole Sapporo
第87回 R4 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 1 Tokushima Vortis
R5 Kashima Antlers 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第88回 R3 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Fagiano Okayama
R4 Gamba Osaka 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第89回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 3 Kansai University (Ventforet win on PK.)
R3 Kyoto Sanga 1 - 2 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Shimizu S-Pulse 3 - 0 Ventforet Kofu
第90回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Matsumoto Yamaga
R3 Júbilo Iwata 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第91回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Machida Zelvia
R3 Kashiwa Reysol 6 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第92回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 0 - 0 Fukushima United (Fukushima won on PK.)
第93回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Fukushima United
R3 Shonan Bellmare 0 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Consadole Sapporo
R5 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 - 1 Ventforet Kofu (Sanfrecce won on PK.)
第94回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Meiji University
R3 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Kwansei Gakuin University
R4 Giravanz Kitakyushu 0 - 0 Ventforet Kofu (Giravanz won on PK.)
第95回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 2 Juntendo University
R3 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Ehime FC
R4 Kashiwa Reysol 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第96回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 0 - 0 Oita Trinita (Trinita won on PK.)
第97回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 0 - 1 Vanraure Hachinohe
第98回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 3 - 1 Ryutsu Keizai University
R3 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Cerezo Osaka 0 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
QF Kashima Antlers 1 - 0 Ventforet Kofu
第99回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 2 FC Gifu (Ventforet won on PK.)
R3 FC Tokyo 0 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Ventforet Kofu 2 - 1 Hosei University
QF V-Varen Nagasaki 2 - 1 Ventforet Kofu
第101回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 1 - 2 Fukui United
第102回 R2 Ventforet Kofu 5 - 1 International Pacific University
R3 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1 - 2 Ventforet Kofu
R4 Sagan Tosu 1 - 3 Ventforet Kofu
QF Avispa Fukuoka 1 - 2 Ventforet Kofu
SF Ventforet Kofu 1 - 0 Kashima Antlers
F Ventforet Kofu [1 - 1] Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Ventforet win on PK.)
*Improved my grammar.