Review: Gamba Osaka vs Cerezo Osaka (J1 100 Year Vision League MD10)

Thiago Andrade scores the winner and Kosuke Nakamura saves a PK in a fierce 100-min away Osaka Derby! United as one, Cerezo triumphantly proclaim "OSAKA is Pink" (Manager Papas).

This fixture marked the start of the second half of the Meiji Yasuda J1 100 Year Vision League. Cerezo Osaka entered the away Osaka Derby determined to avenge their season-opening defeat on penalties at Yanmar Stadium Nagai. There was one change to the starting lineup from the previous match against Nagoya Grampus, with Motohiko Nakajima coming in for Solomon Sakuragawa. Additionally, Satoki Uejo returned to the matchday squad for the first time in approximately ten months, since June 4 last year.



Cerezo started the match with an unconventional tactical setup. Thiago Andrade played as the lone striker, with Nakajima as the attacking midfielder, Masaya Shibayama on the right wing, and Reiya Sakata on the left. Manager Arthur Papas revealed that he only informed Thiago—who noted it was his first time in the number 9 role—of the start on the day before the match. This marked another tactical experiment following the "double number 10" system used two matches ago against Vissel Kobe. "I thought it would turn out well. With Thiago in the middle, we can exploit the space behind the defense from either side, which gives the team an advantage," Shunta Tanaka remarked after the game, and the new formation functioned from the start. In the 4th minute, Shibayama cut in from the right after a throw-in to record the first shot. In the 5th minute, Nelson Ishiwatari won the ball high up to launch a short counter, but Thiago missed the target from Shibayama’s final pass. In the 10th minute, Nelson intercepted again in midfield, leading to a sequence through Thiago, Nakajima, and Sakata, ending with a powerful long-range strike from Nakajima. Manager Papas, who stated the day before that the team would not play tentatively, shared the objective of starting with high intensity and aggression for the first 15 minutes. Cerezo successfully seized control. Their intent to build from the back was clear; Shibayama, drifting inside from the right, along with Nakajima, Shunta Tanaka, and Nelson, created numerical advantages in midfield to draw the opponent out, allowing Thiago and Sakata to attack the space behind with speed. Another chance came in the 24th minute when Ayumu Ohata crossed after being played into space by Shibayama, but Nakajima could not finish after cutting inside. Defensively, Cerezo’s pressing forced the opponent into long balls which they recovered, holding Gamba to zero shots until late in the half. Despite controlling the rhythm, a misplaced central pass in the 38th minute allowed Gamba a short counter, resulting in a decisive shot by Welton that Kosuke Nakamura brilliantly saved with his right foot. Another scare followed in the 40th minute, but Ohata threw himself to block Dawhan's effort. Cerezo then took the lead from this momentum. After Takeru Kishimoto picked up the loose ball from Ohata’s block, his cross drifted to the far side, leading to a sequence involving Hayato Okuda, Shibayama, and Rikito Inoue that eventually broke down the right flank. Nakajima laid off Shibayama’s forward pass with his heel, and Shunta Tanaka delivered a pinpoint through ball. Thiago ran onto the pass—which Tanaka said was intended to be hit first-time—and struck a first-time shot through the legs of goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi. The "Number 9 Thiago" brought the opening goal, and another chance arose in the 43rd minute via a simulated counter. Nakajima played an exquisite pass into space on the left from Thiago’s layoff, but Sakata pulled up with a hamstring injury while chasing it. Sakata was unable to continue and was replaced by Yumeki Yokoyama as the half ended.





Following an excellent first half characterized by unified intent in both offense and defense, Gamba took control from the start of the second half. Having increased their midfield intensity through substitutions, Gamba earned a penalty in the 68th minute when Harumi Minamino got behind the defense from Shuto Abe’s pass and was fouled by Inoue. Given the flow of the second half, an equalizer could have shifted the momentum entirely, but Nakamura saved Deniz Hummet’s penalty. Although Abe pushed in the rebound, the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. In the 84th minute, Gamba created another clear chance after breaking down the flank, but Inoue blocked the final shot. In the 86th minute, Sakuragawa and Uejo were introduced, with Sakuragawa holding the ball up to buy time. While Cerezo failed to create decisive chances in the second half, they kept Gamba scoreless until the final whistle. During the lengthy 13-minute stoppage time, they held firm with a five-back system as Shunta Tanaka dropped deep, securing a 1-0 victory and successfully avenging their opening-day defeat.





"The Derby is special, and the emotions are different from a regular match. With the pride of both sides on the line, it is rewarding and important to win. Since we let our supporters see the opponent celebrating at our home in the opener, I wanted us to show them our celebration after winning at their home today," said Captain Shunta Tanaka. Manager Papas, securing a second consecutive victory at Panasonic Stadium Suita following last year’s opener, attributed the win to "everyone fulfilling their roles and sharing the same vision." He remained focused, adding, "Next week is a different match. We need to switch our focus." In the next fixture against Kyoto Sanga F.C. at home, Cerezo Osaka will aim for consecutive wins with their unified approach once more.