Review: Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1-4 Cerezo Osaka (J1 MD18)

Four Stunning Goals in the Land of the North! Successful Revenge in Sapporo Sets the Stage for the Second Half

"The second half of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League kicked off in this round. Cerezo Osaka ventured into enemy territory for a clash against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. One change was made to the starting lineup compared to the previous match against Vissel Kobe. Hiroaki Okuno was replaced by Mutsuki Kato, forming a striking partnership with Leo Ceara.

On the eve of the game, manager Akio Kogiku emphasized the theme of "maintaining a high defensive line while compacting the team, with the first defender applying pressure, aiming to transition from good defense to good attacks." The players on the pitch embodied that mindset from the start. In the 2nd minute, when Shinji Kagawa quickly initiated a restart, Kato broke through from a forward kick by Kakeru Funaki, colliding with the approaching defender and entering the space. Leo Ceara skillfully tapped in a cross from the side, shaking the net. From here, Sapporo increased their attacking gears. In the 5th minute, they faced a middle shot from Takuro Kaneko after a loose ball from a free kick, but Koji Toriumi bravely blocked it with his head, narrowly escaping as it hit the crossbar. In the 12th minute, Funaki prevented the opponent's shot near the goal line. In the previous match against Nagoya, they conceded goals after an early lead under a disadvantageous situation, but in this round, they added another goal in the 17th minute. They initiated coordinated pressing against Sapporo's build-up from the back, with Kagawa positioning himself and inducing a passing error from the opponent. Kato, who had successfully snatched the ball, confidently aimed from a distance. The powerful trajectory of his middle shot found the back of the net, extending Cerezo's lead.



Later, in the 21st minute, Jordy Croux had a clear chance but was denied by the opponent's goalkeeper. However, in the 38th minute, the third goal came. Leo Ceara tucked it away after receiving a cross from Capixaba. This time, it didn't reach Jordy Croux, but Shinji Kagawa, who had moved up to a high position, collected the ball and crossed it into the middle. Hinata Kida pounced on the loose ball with his left foot, shooting it into the top left corner beyond the reach of the goalkeeper, scoring his first professional goal, which brought him great joy. Kida made his top-team debut in June 2017 against Sapporo in the Levain Cup at Sapporo Dome. "It took a long time (to score my first J-League goal). I'm finally able to do it," he said with a smile after the match. In defense, Cerezo didn't allow decisive plays, employing Capixaba and Funaki to handle Sapporo's key player, Kaneko. However, in the 45th minute, they conceded a goal from a corner kick, and the first half came to an end. Despite conceding a goal, it was a fantastic first half for Cerezo, exceeding expectations.




In the second half, after weathering Sapporo's initial attacks, Cerezo also launched their offensive. In the 53rd minute, Kato's header from Funaki's cross struck the crossbar. In the 54th minute, Jordy Croux's direct free kick hit the post. Although they couldn't secure the fourth goal, they kept Sapporo on their toes, restraining their forward momentum and posing a threat in their own attacks. As Sapporo's pressure intensified in the 67th minute, Coach Kogiku replaced Kato with Matej Jonjic. The number 22, making his return after six matches since the 12th round against Kashima Antlers, joined the three-man defense, playing in the center.



Sapporo strengthened their defense with a cohesive 5-4-1 system, aiming to counterattack. In the 76th minute, Cerezo sealed the game with their fourth goal. It was scored by Kagawa. He made a brilliant run onto Leo Ceara's final pass, received from Kida's switch on the flank, and delicately chipped the ball with an artistic looping shot over the goalkeeper. Immediately after, Ryuya Nishio came on as a substitute for Funaki. Maikuma moved to the left side, forming a solid defensive line with Nishio on the right, effectively shutting down Sapporo's counterattacks until the final whistle. Cerezo avenged their previous loss in the 7th round with a convincing victory, successfully starting the second half of the season with a win. After the match, when asked about their start to the second half of the season and their aspirations of finishing in the top three or winning the championship, Kagawa responded, "To achieve that, we have to demand and push ourselves. Each individual has to improve their level. If everyone is aware and continues to work hard in their daily training, I believe there is potential." The team aims to pursue their set goals, pushing each other through daily competition, and striving for both team and individual improvement.