Review: Cerezo Osaka vs Vissel Kobe (J1 100 Year Vision League MD8)

False nine works as Rikito Inoue scores the opener, and despite a second-half equalizer, Cerezo win on penalties to crown the Yodoko Sakura Stadium finale.

In this matchday of three consecutive league fixtures and back-to-back home games, Cerezo Osaka faced Vissel Kobe at Yodoko Sakura Stadium for Matchday 8 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 100 Year Vision League Regional League Round. The starting eleven saw six changes from the previous match against Fagiano Okayama. Hayato Okuda and Shion Homma made their first starts of the season, while Kyohei Noborizato returned for the first time since Matchday 1, Masaya Shibayama and Reiya Sakata since Matchday 4, and Shinnosuke Hatanaka since Matchday 6. Kim Jin Hyeon also returned to the bench after being sidelined with an injury.



Solomon Sakuragawa, who had started seven consecutive matches this season, began on the bench. In the much-anticipated frontline, Homma and Shibayama took up the twin-striker positions. However, they did not simply stay forward; they dropped deep from the center to receive the ball, progressing while creating numerical advantages in midfield. "I dropped deep at the right timing into positions where the center-backs couldn't catch me or the opponent's defensive midfielders couldn't see me, touched the ball, and moved forward again. I played while constantly changing the opponent's line of sight," said Shibayama after the match, as Cerezo proceeded without letting the Kobe players clearly identify who was marking whom. "The idea was to control the game in a 'double pivot, double number 10' formation to close the distances, which led to today's tactical approach," stated Manager Arthur Papas regarding today's intent. When the two "false nines" dropped deep, there were moments where Shunta Tanaka or Nelson Ishiwatari moved forward, and Thiago Andrade on the left flank was also used effectively. In the 11th minute, Thiago broke through the space on the left from a Shibayama through-ball and delivered a cross. It was cleared by a defender, but the resulting corner led to the opening goal. For the first corner, they opted for a short corner. After shifting the opponent's focus, Sakata picked up the second ball and shot after a dribble. Although narrowly denied by the goalkeeper, they succeeded in taking the lead on the next corner. Rikito Inoue met Shibayama's cross to the near post. In the middle of the first half, the defensive block dropped, leading to periods where Kobe held possession and pinned them back. In the 19th and 33rd minutes, Kobe picked up second balls from corners and long throws to fire mid-range shots, but they missed the target. In the 39th minute, Shibayama received a pass in the center and carried it forward to shoot, and there was another decisive chance in first-half stoppage time. Finally, Thiago cut inside and delivered an exquisite right-footed cross; Sakata lunged in for a volley, but it went over the crossbar.





Ayumu Ohata replaced Noborizato at the start of the second half. The second half also began with Cerezo in control. In the 51st and 52nd minutes, they gained successive set-piece opportunities, and Homma lunged toward a cross from Ohata, who had picked up the second ball. In the 59th minute, Manager Papas substituted Sakuragawa for Homma, seeking a decisive second goal. However, in the 68th minute, Mitsuki Hidaka of Kobe struck a powerful shot from a goalmouth scramble to equalize. "Cerezo had players back, but conversely, having so many people made it ambiguous as to who should close down the ball," said Inoue. It was a moment where they were caught in an instantaneous "air pocket." As Kobe intensified their offensive from this point, Cerezo were forced onto the defensive. Especially toward the end of the match, Kobe increased their set-piece opportunities and pinned them back, but Cerezo managed to clear the danger and did not allow a go-ahead goal. Then, a decisive chance arrived in second-half stoppage time. After Hatanaka spread the play to the right, the ball moved through Dion Cools to Okuda, who delivered a pinpoint cross. Sakuragawa met it with his head, but the header missed the target. Subsequently, Yumeki Yokoyama, released by a Shinji Kagawa pass, broke through vertically and shot. It deflected off an opponent and nearly sailed into the net, but narrowly failed to score.





The match ended 1-1. The decision was left to a penalty shootout, where all five of Cerezo's takers—Kagawa, Cools, Shunta Tanaka, Hatanaka, and Rikito Inoue—were successful. Kobe's first five also converted without blinking. While Shibayama, appearing as the sixth taker for Cerezo, scored, the shot from Kobe's sixth taker, Kento Hamasaki, struck the crossbar. Cerezo Osaka crowned their final match at Yodoko Sakura Stadium with a victory.