Review: Yokohama FC 2-0 Cerezo Osaka (J1 MD6)

Unable to break down Yokohama FC's defense, the match ended scoreless for Cerezo for the first time this season. Both offense and defense had their problems, including two goals conceded and intensity.

Six days after the previous game against Nagoya Grampus, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Cerezo Osaka went into the sixth round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League against Yokohama FC looking for their first win since the season opener. There was one change in the starting lineup from the Nagoya game. Rafael Ratao replaced Reiya Sakata on the left wing.



Despite losing the ball on the flank and being caught out early in the game, Cerezo were able to keep possession and the game going after that. However, Cerezo could not deliver effective passes against Yokohama FC's well-organized defense, while Yokohama FC created chances in the 15th and 17th minutes when they counterattacked from a misplaced pass and sent in a cross following a side-change pass, respectively. Both shots went wide, but it was a shaky start for Cerezo. In the 21st minute, Cerezo also won the ball and had a chance. Motohiko Nakajima, again starting in the striker position in the match, got the ball and sent a pass to Ratao, who went inside from the left flank, but his trap was not accurate and he could not make a shot. After falling behind due to Yokohama FC's aggressiveness in attack and defense, Cerezo conceded a goal in the 27th minute. After a throw-in, Solomon Sakuragawa kept the ball deep on our left flank, and Niko Takahashi and Hinata Kida were unable to stop him, allowing him to turn and send a cross into the box for Kota Yamada to score. Even after conceding a goal, Cerezo were still unable to mount a fightback, but in the 34th minute, they had their first real chance of the match. Lucas Fernandes' free kick was flicked by Nakajima at the near post, and Shunta Tanaka hit it with his foot at the far post, but the ball just went wide. The first half ended with Cerezo a goal behind.





At the start of the second half, manager Arthur Papas made two changes. Sakata and Vitor Bueno replaced Fernandes and Kida. This substitution changed the formation of the midfield to a 4-3-3 with Tanaka as the anchor and Kitano and Bueno lined up as the inside halves. With more players to receive the ball, the overall distance between players improved, and Cerezo succeeded in pushing their opponents higher up the field. Even when they lost the ball, they immediately counter-pressed to win the ball back and continued to play in the opponents' half. The team was looking to tie the game, but in the 53rd minute, a second goal was scored for the opponents. After losing the ball in the opposition half, a quick change of sides resulted in a sharp cross by Akito Fukumori that goalkeeper Kim Jin Hyeon was unable to keep out, and the ball spilled out to Towa Yamane who scored a goal. It was a disappointing goal for Cerezo as they were just beginning to find their rhythm on the counterattack. From this point on, Cerezo held the ball more and tried to make inroads into Yokohama FC's defensive block. In the 56th minute, following a pass from Tanaka, Sota Kitano turned and swung his left foot just over the crossbar. In the 63rd minute, Kitano received a pass from Shinnosuke Hatanaka, and passed further forward to Nakajima. As in the previous match, they broke up the opposition with two vertical passes, but Nakajima's shot was stopped by the goalkeeper. After that, manager Papas brought on Kyohei Noborizato, Hayato Okuda, and Thiago Andrade, and tried to use both flanks more effectively, but the situation remained the same. As Yokohama FC dropped their blocking position with a two-goal lead, Cerezo continued to have the ball, but they were unable to break down their opponents' defense. In the 90th minute, Yokohama FC's Sho Ito, who came on midway through the game, found the net, but was ruled offside. Cerezo, however, could not create any good chances until the very end, and ended without scoring for the first time this season.





After the game, Nakajima reflected on his team's performance: “We needed to show more fighting spirit, as well as intensity on the ball. When we didn't have that, we lost the game we were supposed to lose today." Tanaka, on the other hand, said, “Against an opponent who was trying to press forward, all we did was pass the ball to our feet. We needed to do more simple things that they didn't like, such as running behind them." The game presented Cerezo with a number of challenges in terms of attack, defense, and intensity, but manager Arthur Papas said emphatically, “We will definitely make corrections and improve." After a J.League YBC Levain Cup match, Cerezo will host Urawa Reds in their next league game. Until then, the team as a whole must share a sense of crisis and rebuild.