Shingo Akamine scored a 92nd-minute winner as Fagiano Okayama defeated Matsumoto Yamaga 2-1 on Sunday to reach the J. League promotion playoff final against Cerezo Osaka.
Okayama, sixth in the J. League second tier this season, had to win at Matsumoto to maintain its hopes of J1 promotion. Matsumoto, which finished the season 19 points ahead of Okayama, missed out on automatic promotion by finishing third on goal difference.
Fagiano took the lead in the 23rd minute through Yuki Oshitani, played in by Akamine's glancing header off a long ball from the back before he slotted past the goalkeeper. But Paulinho headed in the leveler from the corner in the 74th minute that seemed enough to send Matsumoto to the final.
Yet Akamine found acres of space and received a knockdown from Yoshiki Fujimoto before calmly putting it past the keeper to snatch the crucial goal in stoppage time.
Fagiano, who have never played in the top flight, will now face Cerezo, who drew 1-1 at home against Kyoto Sanga to secure their place.
Cerezo, who only needed a home draw to advance to the playoff final, took the lead through former Basel striker Yoichiro Kakitani in the 13th minute. Koki Arita equalized for Sanga in the 90th minute but Cerezo did enough to advance. Last year, they conceded with three minutes to go in the final against Avispa Fukuoka and missed out on promotion.