Review: Cerezo Osaka vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1 100 Year Vision League MD3)

Cerezo fall to a frustrating defeat in Yodoko Sakura Stadium opener as Solomon Sakuragawa's stoppage-time bicycle kick is cancelled out by a late Hiroshima winner.

Six days have passed since Matchday 2 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 100 Year Vision League Regional League Round against Avispa Fukuoka, where the team secured its first victory of the season. Cerezo Osaka returned home to face Sanfrecce Hiroshima for Matchday 3 of the Regional League Round. Tickets were sold out for this season's first match at Yodoko Sakura Stadium, and the game kicked off amidst a heated atmosphere.



Manager Arthur Papas, who missed the previous match due to illness, returned to the touchline. The starting eleven remained unchanged from the last game. Just two minutes in, Solomon Sakuragawa held the ball deep on the right flank to win a corner. Despite a positive start, Cerezo spent much of the first half struggling to advance under the pressure of Hiroshima's press. Hiroshima utilized the full width of the pitch, creating threats through crosses. In the 22nd minute, a major chance was created, but Ayumu Ohata tracked back to make a superb clearance on the opponent's shot. He desperately stretched his leg to block the ball while in an acrobatic position. On the ensuing corner, Ohata cleared another decisive Hiroshima shot right in front of the goal. "Since the far side was open given the goalkeeper's position, I was thinking about covering it, and my body just moved instinctively," Ohata reflected on his two big plays. In the 25th minute, Thiago Andrade met Ohata's cross with a header at the near post, but this was Cerezo's only shot of the first half. Although they led in possession, they were unable to enter the opponent's half effectively. Nevertheless, by defending resolutely at the edge and keeping a clean sheet, they were able to stay in the game heading into the second half.





At the start of the second half, Shinnosuke Hatanaka replaced Rikito Inoue at center-back. Unlike the first half, Cerezo began to find more ball possession in the open spaces of midfield, increasing their frequency of entering Hiroshima's half. In the 52nd minute, Sakuragawa flicked on Ohata's long ball with his head, and Thiago, who had broken into the space behind, carried it forward to deliver a cross. This move to exploit space—something not seen in the first half—created a chance. However, just as Cerezo began to rally, Hiroshima took the lead. Hatanaka, dealing with Hayato Araki’s long kick, lost the duel to Akito Suzuki, and Ryo Germain picked up the loose ball to score a mid-range shot with his left foot. Chasing the game, Cerezo introduced attacking players in quick succession. Yumeki Yokoyama came on as a left winger in the 64th minute, followed by Motohiko Nakajima and Kusini Yengi in the 76th minute, shifting the system to a 4-4-2. Regarding the formation with two forwards—a rarity last season—Manager Papas explained his intent: "Normally, I would bring on Yengi for Solomon, but Solomon was putting in a fantastic performance. I felt that by adding another forward, we could force errors from their center-backs, so I went with a front two." Sakuragawa himself reflected that this tactic was "effective," and Cerezo created a flurry of chances late in the half. In the 90th minute, Sakuragawa laid off Masaya Shibayama's through ball, putting Shinji Kagawa in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. It was a decisive moment, but his left-footed shot narrowly missed the target. The number 8 struck the pitch in frustration. Perhaps spurred by that intensity, Kyohei Noborizato broke into the penalty area in the 95th minute to create another chance. While he couldn't finish it, the equalizer arrived moments later. Following a long throw by Dion Cools, a defender's clearance flicked backward, allowing Sakuragawa to control the ball with his chest and launch a bicycle kick. "I had the option to lay it off, but I wanted to score myself and lead the team. With that feeling, I struck it to find the goal," he recalled of the brilliant goal that brought Cerezo level at the death. However, just when it seemed the match would go to a penalty shootout, Cerezo conceded a go-ahead goal in the 97th minute amidst Hiroshima's final onslaught. Whether to go for a second goal or settle for the draw—a moment of hesitation proved costly, and they were unable to close out the match.





"I don't think any player thought a draw was okay. But looking at the result, it was a regrettable way to end the match. Everyone feels that, so I hope we can share and process this as a team," Hatanaka reflected. How to unify the team's approach in the final minutes is a lesson to be carried forward. While the match ended in a disappointing result after Manager Papas had characterized it as one to "see where we currently stand," there were clear positives: the first-half defense that held firm despite being under pressure, and the second-half attack that grew more aggressive with new options. It is certain that there were gains for the future. In order to win the next match against V-Varen Nagasaki in five days, the entire team aims to elevate both their offense and defense.