A month ago, Saturday's match between Yokohama F. Marinos and FC Tokyo was billed as potentially the most climactic finish ever to the J. League season, with the two sides neck-and-neck alongside the Kashima Antlers, a club that knows a thing or two about grinding out first-division championships in the home stretch.
Instead, Nissan Stadium was the scene of a coronation for Marinos, who claimed their first J1 title in 15 years after first-half goals by Theerathon and Erik as well as a second-half goal by Keita Endo added up to a 3-0 victory over their Kanto neighbors.
The stage was set for a party of massive proportions, with Marinos' push to brand their season finale as "The Big Game" — complete with a billboard-sized league table in the depths of Yokohama Station that was updated after each round — resulting in a new first-division attendance record of 63,854.