Review: Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus (J1 100 Year Vision League MD17)

Cerezo clinical in attack to net six in a stunning display, showcasing their tournament growth to secure a massive victory over league leaders Nagoya.

Seven days after their 3-2 victory over V-Varen Nagasaki, Cerezo Osaka welcomed league leaders Nagoya Grampus to their home ground for Matchday 17 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 100 Year Vision League Regional League Round. With only two games remaining, the Regional League Round was reaching its climax. As a mathematical chance of winning the WEST Group still remained at the end of the previous matchday, the team entered the game with fierce determination. "We will give everything we have. We need to score multiple goals, so we want to play aggressively right from the kickoff," Manager Arthur Papas stated.



While Nagoya dominated possession and pinned Cerezo back in the opening stages, Masaya Shibayama began to demand the ball, allowing Cerezo to establish possession and push back. In the 12th minute, their high press paid off; Shunta Tanaka intercepted a pass from the opposition center-back into midfield. Tanaka carried the ball high up the pitch, deftly controlled a pass from Shibayama with his left foot, and fired home with his right. The fluid finish left the opposition keeper with no chance. Nagoya continued to see more of the ball, but Cerezo maintained a high defensive line, sliding diligently to handle diagonal switches. In the 22nd minute, they doubled their lead. This time, Shibayama intercepted a pass from the opposition holding midfielder. The ball moved quickly through Nelson Ishiwatari to Motohiko Nakajima, who slipped a through ball to Yumeki Yokoyama. Yokoyama swept a first-time, left-footed strike into the near corner to net his joyful first goal on the J1 stage. "I felt a sense of relief," Yokoyama smiled after the match. Nagoya intensified their attacking pressure, but Cerezo's defense remained highly focused, aided by a fine save from Kosuke Nakamura, a block by Hayato Okuda, and covering defensive work from Rikito Inoue. In the 35th minute, a sweeping cross-field pass saw Yudai Kimura find the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Having weathered the storm, Cerezo struck their third in the 39th minute. Inoue intercepted an opposition pass high up the field, before Shibayama and Ishiwatari combined to unlock the right flank. Nakajima drew defenders at the near post from Ishiwatari’s cross, allowing an unmarked Yokoyama to tap it in at the far post. The team perfectly executed what their manager had highlighted before the match: mastering the game’s momentum. They endured periods of opposition dominance and showed clinical edge when opportunities arose. Although they conceded from a corner sequence in the 42nd minute, Cerezo went into the break with a commanding 3-1 lead.





Nagoya utilized the full width of the pitch to press early in the second half, and Yuki Nogami headed home from a free-kick in the 47th minute. However, following a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for offside, allowing Cerezo to breathe a sigh of relief. In the 54th minute, Cerezo added a fourth on the counter. Dion Cools, who repeatedly sprinted in both attack and defense throughout the match, released Ishiwatari down the right flank. Ishiwatari drove forward and picked out Thiago Andrade, who outmaneuvered his marker to find space and direct a first-time finish into the net. Turning a potential one-goal deficit into a three-goal cushion, Cerezo firmly asserted control and continued their onslaught. In the 56th minute, Yokoyama burst down the left and delivered an outside-of-the-foot cross, with Cools storming in from the opposite flank for a golden opportunity. In the 58th minute, Shibayama and Nakajima combined to unlock the center, presenting Nakajima with another clear chance. Two minutes later, Thiago broke behind the defense from a Shibayama pass, but failed to convert. While these chances went begging, the attacking patterns repeatedly broke down the opposition. Nagoya then enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure and earned successive set pieces, but Cerezo held firm before the substitutes took center stage late on. In the 87th minute, Satoki Uejo intercepted a misplaced opposition layoff and found Shinji Kagawa, who exchanged a quick one-two with Shion Homma to break into the final third. Homma rolled a pass from the left into Solomon Sakuragawa in the center; the striker rolled his defender, turned inside the box, and lashed a powerful shot home. Just two minutes later, Homma pinched the ball in midfield and accelerated forward. He slipped a pass to Sakuragawa, who had matched his run into the box, and the number nine drilled his finish into the near corner. With Uejo and Kagawa involved in the buildup, the Homma-to-Sakuragawa connection produced two late goals, wrapping up a massive 6-1 victory over league leaders Nagoya.





"It was a fantastic result and performance," Manager Arthur Papas began after the match. "It was not an easy game (as the scoreline suggests). There were periods where the match could have swung in the opposition's favor. However, we managed to weather those difficult moments well. When momentum turned our way, we were able to play on the front foot." Although Vissel Kobe's victory took them to 32 points, mathematically ending Cerezo's hopes of topping the WEST Group in the final matchday, the spirit shown by the team was undeniable. The stunning six-goal display showcased the fruits of their labor throughout the tournament. For the final fixture of the Regional League Round, Cerezo will travel to face Fagiano Okayama, aiming to avenge their previous home defeat against the same opponent and conclude the round with a third consecutive victory.