Review: Cerezo Osaka 1-1 Vissel Kobe (J1 MD27)

Cerezo Osaka regained their style and showed a positive mentality in attack and defense. Though victory was just out of reach, they stood toe-to-toe with champions Vissel Kobe and earned a valuable point.

Six days after suffering a 0–3 defeat to FC Machida Zelvia in the previous round, Cerezo Osaka returned home to face Vissel Kobe in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 27. There were four changes from the starting lineup against Machida: Ayumu Ohata and Kyohei Yoshino both made their first league starts since joining the club, Shion Homma returned to the lineup for the first time in two matches since Round 25 against Niigata, and Shinji Kagawa started for the first time in three matches since Round 24 against Shonan.



Right from the start, Cerezo lost the ball on the back line and were hit on a short counter, giving Kobe a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper, but Jean Patric’s shot was denied by Koki Fukui. Thanks to a big save from their keeper, Cerezo avoided conceding early. In the 2nd minute, Kobe again threatened through a long ball that created danger on the flank, but Cerezo held firm, and in the 9th minute they created a big chance of their own. Yoshino won the ball in midfield, Kagawa and Homma combined to break down the left side, and Ohata delivered a cross that Lucas Fernandes attacked at the far post. He could not get a shot away, but it was a brilliant sequence of play. In the 12th minute, another high press led to a short counter: Kagawa slipped through a final pass to Lucas, who fired on goal, but his effort was blocked by a defender. In the middle stages, Kobe threatened with long balls and set pieces, but Cerezo held out until the drinks break. Controlling more of the possession, Cerezo went close again in the 32nd minute when the lively Homma cut in from the left and unleashed a shot that flew just over the bar. They finally broke through in the 35th minute. Starting from Fukui, the team patiently built from the back, evading Kobe’s press and progressing to the right side. Lucas carried the ball inside from the flank and switched play to the far side, where Homma received in the box and calmly squared for Kagawa to finish with his left foot. Remarkably, ten players were involved and 20 passes were strung together in the move that led to the goal. Reflecting on the sequence, Fukui said proudly: “This kind of football cannot be played alone. It only works when everyone is connected. The goal came as a result of our training and our belief in the style.”





At halftime, Kobe made a double substitution, bringing on star striker Yuya Osako and Erik to add variety and depth to their attack. However, the first clear chance of the second half fell to Cerezo. In the 47th minute, they broke down the right side, and Lucas delivered a cross from Kagawa’s pass that Shunta Tanaka met with a header, only for it to sail agonizingly over the crossbar. Immediately afterward, though, Kobe struck from a goal kick. Daiya Maekawa’s long ball was contested by Erik, and when Osako picked up the second ball, he slipped a through pass to Erik, who finished the one-on-one with the keeper. It was precisely the kind of second-ball threat from long balls that Cerezo had most wanted to avoid, but on this occasion, they were undone by Kobe’s individual quality. That was the only real chance Kobe created in the second half. Captain Tanaka admitted afterward, “We had to prevent that,” showing his frustration. Still, Cerezo did not let the equalizer affect them and kept pushing forward, repeatedly creating danger from the left side on the counter. In the 59th minute, Homma combined with Kagawa and Yoshino before Motohiko Nakajima fired a shot. The No. 13, who started as the lone striker in place of the suspended Rafael Ratao, had another big chance seven minutes later, meeting Ohata’s cross with a perfectly timed header that was brilliantly saved by Maekawa. In the 82nd minute, Cerezo broke through again on the left, and substitute Yo Kida struck from inside the box, but his effort was blocked by a defender. Holding firm against Kobe’s threats while continuing to press for a winner, Cerezo could not find a decisive goal, and the match ended 1-1. A heated Kansai derby concluded with the two sides sharing the points.





“Both teams fought until the very end, each aiming for the win. It was a match where two different styles of football clashed. Throughout the game, I thought our players did very well in showing what they wanted to do,” reflected manager Papas. Cerezo held their ground even in duels, which are a strong point for Kobe, and new signings such as Yoshino and Ohata were active on the pitch. Showing a rebound mentality after the heavy defeat in the previous match was a positive takeaway. On the other hand, given that Kobe had played two consecutive away matches with just two days’ rest, it was certainly a match that Cerezo wanted to win at home, both in terms of result and overall performance. Looking ahead to the next game, when they will host Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Kagawa said, “We want the result, and winning is what matters most.” The team will spend the week preparing together to capture all three points from Hiroshima, a recent nemesis.