Review: Vissel Kobe 1-3 Cerezo Osaka (J1 MD15)

Conceding first, but Satoki Uejo and Masaya Shibayama’s first league goals turn it around – Rafael Ratao seals the deal as Cerezo earn first consecutive wins of the season.

After a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Kyoto Sanga F.C. just two days earlier, Cerezo Osaka faced Vissel Kobe in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 15, away from home. While the previous match was a night game, this one kicked off at 14:00. With the tight schedule, the starting lineup saw four changes from the last match. Rafael Ratao, Shinji Kagawa, and Ryosuke Shindo made their returns after two games, and Kakeru Funaki started for the first time in nine games since the Round 6 match against Yokohama FC.



In the previous match, manager Papas used a flexible system with three center-backs when defending and four defenders when attacking. However, in this game, he started with a clear three-center-back formation. Defensively, the team set up in a 5-4-1, filling the space at the back. Once they regained possession, they looked to play out from the back and target space behind the opponent’s defense. Kobe, who had won four consecutive league matches and regained their form from last season, came at Cerezo with aggressive attacking and defensive play. In the 6th minute, a clearance by Shindo was incomplete, and Erik seized the opportunity, but goalkeeper Koki Fukui made a brilliant save. In the 18th minute, Fukui’s kick was intercepted, and Erik fired a powerful shot from distance, but it went just wide. Cerezo struggled to break Kobe’s press and couldn’t move the ball forward easily, especially in the first 30 minutes. However, after that, they began to connect more passes and entered Kobe’s half more frequently. In the 33rd minute, Satoki Uejo fired a strong shot from outside the box. Cerezo were starting to get closer to the goal. But in the 45th minute, just before halftime, they conceded from a corner kick, and Kobe took the lead. The plan was to stay solid in the first half and then attack in the second. It seemed that the plan was in jeopardy, but in injury time in the first half, Cerezo equalized. Shindo played a ball forward, and when the opposing center-back’s clearance was poor, Ratao pounced on it, outmuscled Gotoku Sakai, and laid the ball off to Hinata Kida. Kida floated a perfect pass into the box, and Uejo, running from an angle, finished with his left foot to score the equalizer. "I was considering trapping it, but when I saw the goalkeeper coming, I thought I’d be closed down if I trapped it, so I made a quick decision to shoot. It’s a movement we practice in training, and I was able to execute it well," said Uejo, reflecting on his goal that brought Cerezo back into the game before halftime.





The second half began with Kobe applying pressure once again. In the 54th minute, Cerezo were broken down on the right side of their defense, and a free shot was allowed to Yosuke Ideguchi, who had made a late run from behind. However, Kida made a superb block with his outstretched leg to deny the shot. He also blocked a subsequent shot from Gotoku Sakai, showing excellent concentration and preventing a goal in a dangerous moment. In the 58th minute, manager Arthur Papas made his first substitutions. Lucas Fernandes and Motohiko Nakajima, who had played a key role in the comeback win in the previous match, were brought on, and this changed the flow of the game. Lucas carried the ball with his trademark dribbling, created space, and drew fouls, gaining control of the match. In the 62nd and 74th minutes, he created some great chances that almost led to goals. Then, in the 83rd minute, Cerezo scored a dramatic winner. Goalkeeper Fukui quickly started a goal kick, and Niko Takahashi carried the ball forward, sending a perfect pass to Nakajima, who had made a run into space. "I managed to break free well," Nakajima said, as he dribbled further and passed the ball to the center. Ratao laid it off with a one-touch pass, and Masaya Shibayama, with a direct shot, found the back of the net. "At first, I was aiming for the defender’s legs, but when that option was closed off, I quickly changed my mind and aimed to curl it from the outside. I was really relaxed and just guided it in," said Shibayama, who was thrilled with his skillful shot that hit the post and went in. "This goal came after a lot of struggles and doubts, and it’s the one I’m most proud of out of all the goals I’ve scored so far," he added, smiling widely as his teammates celebrated with him.





Against Vissel Kobe, who had been unbeaten when taking the lead since last season, Cerezo completed a comeback by scoring twice. Immediately after the second goal, manager Papas called on Ryuya Nishio, who replaced Shinji Kagawa in the 88th minute. The team switched to a defensive 6-back formation, with "four center-backs in the middle and two wide players (Lucas and Takahashi)" (according to Nishio). It was a tactical decision driven by the manager’s determination to "defend at all costs." However, the players, instilled with an attacking mentality, didn’t just defend but added a third goal in the 90+6th minute to seal the match. Kida cleared a cross with a header, and the ball was picked up by Ratao, who passed it to Shibayama, and then to Lucas. Finally, Ratao sprinted forward and fired a powerful shot into the near post. Though he played as a shadow forward under Kengo Furuyama, the No. 9 showed excellent strength, contributing to all three goals with his build-up play. In a busy schedule with multiple injuries, players who had not had much league time so far were instrumental in securing the team's first consecutive wins of the season. "It was great that the whole team won," said Motohiko Nakajima, reflecting on the victory. This was a remarkable back-to-back comeback win in away matches in the Kansai derby. Next, Cerezo will return home to face Yokohama F. Marinos at Yodoko Sakura Stadium. They aim to continue their momentum and go for a third straight win to push for the top of the table.