Japan’s main cup competition is similar to the FA Cup, the Coppa Italia and the Copa del Rey in many ways. But one key difference is that the Emperor’s Cup encourages universities, colleges and even high school teams to compete, which is precisely how, in 2003, a team of teenage students came within inches of beating the champions of Japan.

Every club in Japan’s professional league system, the J League, is automatically granted entry to the Emperor’s Cup, where they are joined by teams that have won their regional cups. Each of these 47 regional competitions – one for every prefecture in Japan – is open to local clubs, universities and even schools. It is not uncommon for university teams to beat local semi-professional sides, but only on near-mythical occasions do high school sides vanquish all before them, win the trophy and qualify for the Emperor’s Cup. But that is how Funabashi Municipal High School began their remarkable journey in 2003.

In late November, Yokohama F Marinos were crowned champions of Japan. Around the same time, the amateur clubs participating in the opening rounds of the Emperor’s Cup were settling into the starting blocks. Among the hopefuls were Funabashi Municipal High School, winners of the local cup in Chiba on the east coast of the country.

In the first round, Funabashi were drawn against Thespa Kusatsu, a semi-professional club that had recently secured promotion to the Japan Football League, the country’s third tier. Funabashi won a close encounter 1-0 to set up a second-round tie with Hannan University, winners of the Osaka prefectural championship. Once again, the high school students progressed with a 1-0 win.

With J League sides entering at the third round, the country’s smallest teams were all praying to be drawn against one of the giants of Japanese football. Funabashi’s prayers were answered when the draw pitted them against Yokohama F Marinos. Eleven days before Christmas, the high school students of Funabashi would have the opportunity to test themselves against the champions of Japan.

The students started the game terribly, conceding two goals in the first six minutes as their already faint hopes of pulling off an upset seemed to disappear completely. But they kept battling and held the score at 2-0 until half-time. Despite being dominated, Funabashi were not dead and buried.

Robert Cullen, a Dutch-Japanese footballer who was in the Funabashi team that day and now plays for Leatherhead FC in the English seventh tier, remembers the occasion fondly. “We were thinking we were going to lose 10-0 or something, so we were just thinking ‘enjoy this experience and feel this great atmosphere.’”

Robert Cullen, pictured here in 2013, was in the Funabashi team that day. Photograph: Alamy

Despite their dominance, Yokohama could not find a third goal. Then, midway through the second half, Yokohama goalkeeper Kenichi Shimokawa fumbled a long swirling free-kick, presenting an opportunity that Funabashi captain Tatsuya Masushima gobbled up gratefully. 2-1.

The Japanese champions put their defensive indiscretion behind them and poured forward in search of a third goal to quash the high school comeback. But in doing so they left gaps in their defence and, with six minutes left to play, Funabashi were given an opportunity to counter.

A loose throw-in from a Yokohama player allowed Funabashi to clear their lines. The clearance arrived at the feet of midfielder Cullen, who swivelled and surged forward. With just four players in front of him – three desperate defenders and a willing teammate – Cullen drove on towards the box. The defenders retreated further and further, giving him the chance to poke the ball past them and use his pace to squeeze into the area. The youngster took one more touch in the box to steady himself, before firing the ball across the face of goal to his teammate, Kota Tanaka, who tucked home the simplest of equalisers.

The high school students had come from 2-0 down to draw level with the champions of Japan. Funabashi’s coach tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to contain his excitement. His opponent in the opposite dugout wore a nauseated expression.

Two minutes later, Funabashi were on the attack again. Substitute Toru Kotobuki found himself on the end of a hopeful flick forward. A pass that had been intended for his teammate had evaded both its original target and the despairing lunge of a defender and somehow Kotobuki found himself one-on-one with the Yokohama goalkeeper. With no time to consider his options, Kotobuki instinctively attempted to scoop the ball over the onrushing keeper but succeeded only in striking it against the keeper’s midriff. The ball deflected off the keeper, looped towards the top corner of the goal, but glanced off the crossbar and went out for a corner. The young Funabashi forward has come within inches of snatching the win for his school.

There would be more drama before the final whistle was blown. In the 90th minute, Funabashi captain Masushima won the ball in midfield and started to gallop up the pitch. A Yokohama player chased him and Masushima fell to the ground, expecting to win a free-kick. Instead the referee showed him a second yellow card for simulation. If Funabashi were to complete their comeback, they would have to do it with 10 men.

Neither side could muster a winner in 30 minutes of extra-time, so the cup tie would be decided on penalties. In the ensuing shootout, Yokohama goalkeeper Shimokawa absolved himself for his earlier mishap by confidently beating away two Funabashi penalties. All of his teammates scored from the spot and the professionals ran out 4-1 winners in the shootout.

The dream was over for the high school boys, but the memory was theirs to savour. “We didn’t expect the game to be like that,” says Cullen 15 years later. “We were only a high school team that won had two times and then faced the J League champions. We surprised everybody. That was an amazing feeling. That news was on TV everywhere. Still people are talking about this story. Whenever I meet football fans, they always speak this story to me. I’m very proud of it.”

Funabashi have not been back in the Emperor’s Cup since, although more than half of the players from their 2003 squad did go on to have professional careers, with Masushima and Cullen both going on to represent their country at youth level. The boys of Funabashi High School didn’t quite pull off the unthinkable, but they taught the champions of Japan a lesson they would never forget.

• This article is from These Football Times

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