Review: Kyoto Sanga F.C. 1-4 Cerezo Osaka (Levain Cup 1st Rd 3rd Leg)

Masaya Shibayama provided two assists, Thiago Andrade scored twice as Cerezo came from behind again to beat Kyoto and advance to the playoff round.

Just two days after their J1 League Round 17 clash with Kawasaki Frontale, Cerezo Osaka shifted their focus to the J.League YBC Levain Cup, taking on Kyoto Sanga F.C. in the third leg of the first round. The match was held at Kyoto's home ground, Sanga Stadium by KYOCERA. Cerezo made nine changes to the starting lineup from the Kawasaki match, with only Ryuya Nishio and Hinata Kida retaining their spots. Takumi Nakamura made his first appearance since the league opener, as the team lined up in a four-man defense.



Cerezo showed good intent early on, with Motohiko Nakajima leading the charge toward the opponent’s goal. However, in the 10th minute, they unexpectedly conceded. A throw-in from the right side of their own half was played back by Takumi Nakamura to Kim Jin Hyeon, but under pressure from the opposition, Jin Hyeon struggled to deal with it, failed to clear with a kick, and the ball was pushed into the net. It was the kind of goal that could have rattled the team, but Masaya Shibayama said, “The mood within the team didn’t darken at all. Even on the pitch, we were telling each other, ‘Let’s trust our football and keep playing our game.’” Jin Hyeon himself added, “I’ve made mistakes like this before in my career. What matters is not hanging your head but pushing through. I was focused on giving my best during the match.” In the 25th minute of the first half, Nakajima struck the crossbar with a powerful mid-range shot. Although they didn’t manage to equalize, Cerezo showed promise heading into the second half, with players like Kengo Furuyama—starting as the lone striker—and Thiago Andrade on the left wing actively looking to break in behind the defense and threaten the goal.





Nakajima showed excellent play throughout the match, but considering the busy schedule, he was substituted in the first half. From the second half, Satoki Uejo came in, taking the role of defensive midfielder when defending and shadow striker when attacking, as he explained. “At halftime, everyone confirmed, ‘Let’s do it once again,’” said Nakamura. The team launched a fierce attack from the start of the second half and quickly equalized. In the 48th minute, from Shibayama’s corner kick, Funaki lost his marker in the center and headed the ball powerfully into the opponent’s goalkeeper’s feet, scoring a goal. The number 14 had regretted his positioning at the time of conceding, but he brilliantly scored the equalizer, “The team came back to life,” he said. From here, Cerezo’s attack accelerated further. At 57 minutes, after a pass from Uejo, Reiya Sakata broke through and took a shot. The ball bounced off a defender and Furuyama rushed in for a great chance, but the finish was stopped by goalkeeper Kentaro Kakoi, who had previously played for Cerezo. From the corner kick earned here, Shibayama’s cross was headed by Nishio near post but hit the post. Although they did not take the lead here, four minutes later, the go-ahead goal was born. After intercepting the opponent’s attack and launching a counterattack, Shibayama dribbled down the right side and sent a perfect cross to the far post. Thiago Andrade ran in and struck the ball directly into the net. “The moment Shibayama had the ball, I believed the pass would come and ran in,” recalled the number 11. In the 73rd minute, he scored his second goal and the team’s third by connecting with a cross from Uejo, who had taken possession after a pass from Nakamura. Kyoto, having used all five substitutions, then suffered an injury. Cerezo played the last 15 minutes plus added time one player up and in the 81st minute, substitute Ratao combined with another substitute, Vitor Bueno, on the left side, and smashed a powerful right-footed shot to seal the 4-1 victory.





At the 89th minute, Kim Jin Hyeon made a great save, and even with one player advantage, the team maintained their intensity until the final whistle. "The entire team showed their utmost effort. Although there were mistakes, scoring four goals in the second half without losing confidence was a proud performance,” praised the manager. Following their league victory, Cerezo Osaka secured a comeback win again on Kyoto’s home ground in the J.League YBC Levain Cup, advancing to the playoff round.