Review: Cerezo Osaka 1-1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1 MD28)

Cerezo showed solid play in attack and defense, with Lucas Fernandes scoring from the spot, but couldn’t find a second goal and had to settle for a draw.

Seven days after their hard-fought 1-1 draw against Vissel Kobe, Cerezo Osaka once again returned home to face Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the 28th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. There were two changes to the starting lineup from the Kobe match: Shion Homma was absent due to illness, with Thiago Andrade returning to the lineup for the first time in two matches, while Shunta Tanaka, who had initially been announced as a starter, was left out just before kickoff due to “knee discomfort” (according to manager Arthur Papas), and Masaya Shibayama was included in the starting eleven.



Just one minute into the match, Hiroshima picked up a second ball from a long pass, and Ryo Germain fired the first shot of the game. In the 4th and 8th minutes, Cerezo lost passes in their own half and faced danger, but the defenders responded calmly without giving away any clear chances. In the 8th minute, Cerezo created a chance on the counterattack when Shibayama carried the ball forward and combined with Lucas Fernandes to threaten the goal. After a slightly pressured start, Cerezo gradually took control of possession and began to dictate the game. In the 32nd minute, they broke the deadlock. Shinji Kagawa intercepted a pass in midfield and linked with Kyohei Yoshino and Thiago to launch a short counter. Yoshino slipped through a pass to Thiago, who coolly assessed the situation inside before sending the ball across, where Lucas was brought down by a defender as he cut in from the far side. Cerezo won a penalty, and Lucas himself converted to give the team the lead in the 35th minute. Riding the momentum, Cerezo created another big chance in the 38th minute. Shibayama floated a pass forward, Thiago outmuscled a defender to break free with his pace, and carried the ball into the box, but his shot aiming for the near post in a one-on-one with the keeper was denied by a brilliant save from Keisuke Osako. Cerezo endured Hiroshima’s pressure toward the end of the first half by defending bravely, and went into the break with a one-goal lead.





At halftime, Hiroshima made two substitutions to add energy to their attack and adjust their back three, but the first chance of the second half still fell to Cerezo. In the 49th minute, Thiago latched onto a through ball from Yoshino, broke down the left, and cut the ball back inside, but it didn’t lead to a shot. In the 59th minute, Cerezo created another opportunity on the counter, as Motohiko Nakajima—starting again as the lone striker following the previous match—turned and fired, but his effort was saved by Osako. From around this point, Hiroshima began to dominate possession, pushing Cerezo deeper into their own half and forcing them to endure a spell of pressure. In the 64th minute, a cross from Hiroshima’s left was parried away by goalkeeper Koki Fukui, only for the rebound to be collected and fired home from distance by Hayao Kawabe. However, the goal was disallowed for offside, as Kosuke Kinoshita had been flagged when reacting to the initial cross. Looking to regain momentum, Cerezo made a double substitution in the 66th minute, bringing on Rafael Ratao and Reiya Sakata to refresh the front line. Even so, Hiroshima equalized in the 72nd minute. Naoto Arai’s free kick was headed back across goal at the far post, and Kinoshita bundled the ball in. Moments later, Cerezo nearly conceded again from a corner when Sho Sasaki met it with a header, but they survived. Cerezo responded strongly in the 77th minute, creating a clear chance. Lucas won the ball high up the pitch, carried it forward on the dribble, and laid it off, setting up a move that broke Hiroshima’s defense wide open. But Ratao’s shot was once again denied by a brilliant save from Osako, preventing a go-ahead goal. In the closing stages, the match opened up with both teams chasing a second goal. In stoppage time, approaching the announced eight additional minutes, Cerezo nearly snatched the winner. A flowing move saw Lucas, Ratao, Nakajima, and Hinata Kida combine before Sakata received Kida’s pass inside the box. From his favored angle, he curled a shot on target, only to see it cleared away by Japan international center-back Hayato Araki. Unable to convert any of their three major chances, Cerezo had to settle for a frustrating 1–1 draw.





Cerezo Osaka entered this match with a strong determination. “In recent years, we as a club have experienced many frustrating moments against Hiroshima. It’s not about personal feelings, but as a club, we want to deliver victories to our fans and supporters,” said Kagawa. Despite being faced with a pre-match accident, the team pushed Hiroshima to the brink, but victory eluded them. Reflecting on the match, manager Papas said, “Both teams fought to win. Our performance was good, but I think what decided this match was the quality of the opposing goalkeeper.” Thiago, whose clear chances were denied, said, “There are parts where we can only praise the opponent’s goalkeeper, but I also want to improve my own finishing.” Ratao also vowed, “We will win the next match.” In the three consecutive top-table matches in August, Cerezo drew twice and lost once, unable to secure a win. Still, the team aims to accept everything — what they achieved and the challenges that remain — and carry it forward into the matches from September onward.