Review: FC Tokyo 2-1 Cerezo Osaka (Emperor's Cup Round of 16)

The third match against FC Tokyo this season ended in a narrow 1-2 loss. Despite Kagawa’s golazo equalizer, the team just fell short and missed out on the Emperor’s Cup quarterfinals.

Seventeen days after the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Matchweek 24 fixture against Shonan Bellmare, Cerezo Osaka faced FC Tokyo at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in the Round of 16 of the Emperor’s Cup. Two changes were made to the starting lineup from the Shonan match: Kim Jin Hyeon returned in goal, while Reiya Sakata started at right-back.



From the outset, Cerezo enjoyed more possession, advancing into the opposition half with a smooth rhythm from the back. Among those who stood out individually was Sakata. In the 3rd minute, he broke down the right flank after receiving a pass from Shinji Kagawa, earning a corner kick. In the 12th minute, he again surged forward into the half-space after a pass from Hinata Kida. Then in the 16th minute, Cerezo pressed high as a team to win the ball, and Sakata drove deep down the right side. In the 23rd minute, they won possession high up the pitch again and launched a quick counterattack. Rafael Ratao latched onto a pass from Kagawa inside the penalty area and appeared to be tugged by FC Tokyo center-back Alexander Scholz, but the referee did not blow the whistle. The first half hydration break came with the score still 0-0. After the break, Cerezo continued to threaten. In the 32nd minute, Lucas Fernandes went for goal directly from a free kick, but was denied by a fine save from goalkeeper Kim Seung Gyu. On the defensive end, Shinnosuke Hatanaka and Ryuya Nishio kept close watch on FC Tokyo’s two strikers trying to get in behind, while fullbacks Hayato Okuda and Sakata remained solid, allowing no gaps. Toward the end of the first half, FC Tokyo began to enjoy more of the ball and pressed forward, but Kim Jin Hyeon made several well-judged plays to keep the goal intact. In stoppage time, Kagawa reacted to a loose ball in front of goal and had a chance, but his shot went over the crossbar.





Even at kickoff, with the pitch enveloped in stifling heat and humidity of 34°C, both teams shifted up a gear as the second half began. Cerezo created the first near-clear chance early in the half. In the 50th minute, after a high press win by Kida, Kagawa carried the ball forward and delivered a final pass to Ratao. However, the attack was thwarted by the returning defenders, and the shot could not be taken. Then, in the 55th minute, FC Tokyo took the lead. After building up play on their right side in their own half, Teruhito Nakagawa broke diagonally past the defense following a pass from Motoki Nagakura, entering a one-on-one with goalkeeper Kim Jin Hyeon. Although Kim managed to get a hand on the ball, it was ultimately sucked into the net. Cerezo quickly responded in the 60th minute to level the score. Maintaining possession and pushing down the right flank, Lucas received a pass from Kida and immediately played a direct pass inside. Kagawa, receiving the ball, cleverly faked a right-footed shot before switching to his left foot, losing his marker Scholz. He then finished with a superb shot that deceived the goalkeeper by placing it perfectly.





From the middle to the late stages of the second half, both teams struggled against the challenging conditions, with many players suffering injuries or cramps. The substitutes injected fresh energy into the match. FC Tokyo’s Kota Tawaratsumida repeatedly launched attacks, while Cerezo Osaka’s Shion Homma pressed forward with his trademark dribbling. In the 79th minute, Cerezo had a big chance. After a quick combination between Lucas and Kagawa, Homma fired a close-range shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. Failing to capitalize on this opportunity, Cerezo soon found themselves behind again in the 80th minute. FC Tokyo launched a counterattack; Tawaratsumida carried the ball a long distance before switching play to the opposite side, and a cross from Kein Sato could not be cleared inside, allowing Nagakura to score. Chasing the game once more, Cerezo mounted a fierce comeback. In the 83rd minute, a set-piece chance fell to Hatanaka, but his header was cleared by the defenders. Shortly after conceding the second goal, Motohiko Nakajima was brought on in the 87th minute and combined well with Homma to create a scoring opportunity, but his shot was saved, and the equalizer was not forthcoming. In the closing stages, FC Tokyo skillfully managed the clock and secured the 2-1 victory. Manager Arthur Papas, visibly disappointed, said, “We needed to be more solid in defense, and also to decisively finish the game in attack. The difference showed at those critical moments.” The Emperor’s Cup campaign, aimed at a title, ended in frustration with this Round of 16 exit.