Review: Avispa Fukuoka 2-4 Cerezo Osaka (J1 MD29)

After a lightning delay, Cerezo erupted in the 2nd half with 4 goals to complete a comeback and finally claimed 3 points away from home.

After 12 days since their previous match—a 1-1 draw against Sanfrecce Hiroshima where they held the upper hand—Cerezo Osaka returned to action in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League following the international break. Traveling away, they faced Avispa Fukuoka in Matchweek 29. The starting XI was unchanged from the Hiroshima game. Ryosuke Shindo returned to the squad for the first time in eight league matches, while Shion Homma, who missed the previous match, and Shunta Tanaka, who had been left out just before kickoff, were both named to the bench.



In the 8th minute, Cerezo were broken through on the left and conceded a cross that led to a clear chance, but Rikito Inoue twice cleared the ball in front of goal. With superb covering play from No. 31, Cerezo prevented the opener. From there, Cerezo began creating chances in succession. In the 9th minute, Masaya Shibayama sparked a counter, releasing Thiago Andrade who surged forward at speed and cut inside before unleashing a powerful right-footed shot that flew just wide. Against Fukuoka’s flexible build-up, Cerezo struck back with counters in the 12th and 15th minutes, winning the ball well and moving quickly into finishing positions, though Shinji Kagawa could not convert either attempt. In the 20th minute, after a sharp vertical sequence from goalkeeper Koki Fukui through Kyohei Yoshino and Shibayama, Thiago broke down the left to deliver a cross, but no teammate could meet it. As the rain intensified midway through the half, Fukuoka seized the initiative after the hydration break. “We could no longer press aggressively in defense,” manager Arthur Papas noted, as Fukuoka pushed forward and created threats from the flanks. Still, in the 37th minute, Inoue again came to the rescue with a clearance to deny Itsuki Oda’s header, and in the 40th, Fukui produced a big save to stop Kazuki Fujimoto’s shot. Yet in the 41st minute, Tomoya Miki struck a powerful effort from a short corner to put Fukuoka ahead. In first-half stoppage time, Lucas Fernandes tried his luck with a direct free kick, only to be denied by goalkeeper Yuma Obata’s fine save. Moments later, thunder rolled across the night sky, and with the risk of lightning, referee Yoshimi Yamashita suspended play. After about 35 minutes, the match resumed, and the remainder of stoppage time was played out before the halftime whistle.





After a first half in which Cerezo went from creating numerous chances to losing the initiative and conceding the opener, manager Papas said at halftime, “I clearly told the players what we need to do and what we need to correct.” Reaffirming their aggressive approach from the front in both attack and defense, Cerezo equalized in the 54th minute. Shinnosuke Hatanaka and Ayumu Ohata combined on the left side to pull the opposition out of position, and Motohiko Nakajima received Ohata’s pass and immediately sent the ball into space on the left. Thiago made a run, outpacing the defenders with his exceptional speed, and delivered a left-footed cross to the center, where Shibayama finished. Using his non-dominant right foot, he positioned himself to strike “like an inside pass” and guided the ball into the net. Ten minutes later, Shibayama scored again to complete the turnaround. Lucas’s cross was headed by Thiago, but after the goalkeeper parried it, Shibayama followed up and finished with the outside of his left foot. It was his first multi-goal match since joining Cerezo. He revealed, “In the pre-match meeting, the boss (manager Papas) told us, ‘If you get into the box, you can score two today.’ I focused on sprinting into the box,” perfectly fulfilling his manager’s prediction. Cerezo didn’t stop there. In the 77th minute, a similar build-up saw Shunta Tanaka send a precise pass into space behind the defense to utilize Thiago’s speed, and Rafael Ratao, making a late run, finished from Thiago’s cross. In the 80th minute, Takaaki Shichi delivered a cross to Shintaro Nago for a volleyed goal, but the ball had already crossed the goal line before the cross, so the goal was disallowed. Manager Papas made three substitutions in the 83rd minute. Shindo, making his return, also stepped onto the pitch. In the 89th minute, Cerezo scored their fourth goal. Hinata Kida sent a long ball forward, the opposition defender miscontrolled it, and Ratao picked it up, dribbling before firing a powerful shot into the near post. In stoppage time, Wellington scored a header from a corner, but Cerezo held on to secure a 4-2 comeback victory. Papas’s insistence on winning away was realized in a thrilling goal rush.





Manager Papas said, “In the second half, the team played the kind of football I wanted to see. The pressing was aggressive, and we saw many plays that led to goals, so I want to give credit for that.” While the two goals conceded from set pieces remain an issue, the comeback victory demonstrated the attacking football the team has been working on this season. Shinji Kagawa also reflected with a bright expression, “It was amazing as a team to score four goals. This victory came as a result of everyone working hard and fighting until the end.” From the next match, Cerezo will face three top-tier opponents in a row—Kashiwa Reysol, Kashima Antlers, and Kyoto Sanga F.C.—and they aim to fully showcase the strength they have built this season and continue racking up victories.