Review: Cerezo Osaka 2-1 Sagan Tosu (J1 MD4)
- TEAM
A three-day interval from the 1st section of J.League YBC Levain Cup Group stage 3. Cerezo Osaka once again welcomed Sagan Tosu at home to challenge Meiji Yasuda J1 League Section 4. The starting lineup was changed for three players from the previous section. Mutsuki Kato, Shinji Kagawa, and Riku Matsuda, who showed good performances in the Levain Cup, started in succession.
In defending, Kato and Kagawa were the two FWs, and it was a [4-4-3] system in attacking, where Kagawa took lower position and formed the MF with Hiroaki Okuno and Tokuma Suzuki. Cerezo, who entered the game with a variable system, took possession from the beginning and developed the game. Against Tosu"s aggressive defense, they were struggling to move the ball forward, but in the 13th minute, Hirotaka Tameda, who took the back of the opponents, got a chance from Matsuda"s pass from the opposite side. In the 21st minute, Matsuda stole the ball at a high position, and Kagawa dribbled in from a short counterattack and shot. He created a close scene. Also in the 31st minute, Matsuda and Kagawa broke through the right side, and in the end, Okuno reacted to Suzuki’s cross with his header, but the shot went slightly out of the frame. During this time slot, they had a pinch from a mistake in the pass-connection in their own half but at the end, Matej Jonic and Koji Toriumi firmly covered using their body and did not allow Tosu to throw a decisive shot. Then, in the 38th minute, Cerezo succeeded in scoring the opener. The man to score was Kagawa, who became the first starter in the league match after returning to Cerezo. Against Tosu"s pass exchange on the back side, Seiya Masikuma quickly pressed from the front and intercepted. After stealing the ball from a high position, Kato dodged the GK and sent a cross inside. Kagawa, who had been waiting for the ball, matched it with his left foot, while falling down, and shook the back net. The moment the goal was scored, the stadium got covered with the excited cheers, and everyone on the Cerezo bench congratulated the uniform number 8.
In the second half, Cerezo were attacked by Tosu at an early stage, but quickly regained their composure and scored again in the 52nd minute. Ryosuke Yamanaka"s feed was received by Okuno up front, and Tameda dribbled and crossed with his left foot. Kato, who left the mark off and became free, matched with a perfect header and widened the lead to Tosu. From here, although Tosu substituted players and system to counterattack, Cerezo managed the pass exchange on the back side and did not let Tosu make a chance. In the 68th minute, they stole the ball with a series of presses from the front and launched a short counter. Kato had a big chance, but the shot went over the crossbar. Immediately after, Kato and Kagawa were replaced by Leo Ceara and Satoki Uejo. Cerezo aimed for the third goal that would decide the match, keeping their strength of the press. In the 75th minute, Tameda"s cross was followed by Uejo"s perfect trap to close in on the goal, but was blocked by a DF. At the end of the match, Tosu broke through the right side and scored a goal back, but Capixaba, who came in as a substitute, used the time with exquisite ball-keeping, and in the end, everyone put their bodies together to prevent the conceding goal. The game finished 2-1 as it was, and they achieved the first victory of the season in the league match.
After the match, Kagawa said with joy, "The opening goal was very meaningful, and the fact that it led to victory was the most important thing. I shot with the image of holding down (the shot)." But, “We have to improve the quality more. This is also true for me personally. If we make much less mistakes and always try to get a good position together, we will have better soccer”, he also showed his determination to move further upward. Cerezo achieved two consecutive victories in official matches of the Levain Cup and the league match, at the sacred home ground Yodoko Sakura Stadium. In the next section, aiming for consecutive wins in the league match, they will challenge the away game against Kawasaki Frontale.
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