Review: Cerezo Osaka vs Tokyo Verdy (J1 MD6)

In search of back-to-back wins, Cerezo Osaka dominate possession but cannot break through Tokyo Verdy’s defense, settling for a scoreless draw.

Three days after their 2-0 victory over Kashiwa Reysol, Cerezo Osaka welcomed Tokyo Verdy to their home stadium for Matchweek 6 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, the fifth and final game of a five-match run in all competitions.



Cerezo came into the match looking for their first back-to-back wins of the season. There were three changes to the starting lineup from the Kashiwa game, with Yumeki Yokoyama and Yota Komi playing as the two attacking midfielders and Takumi Nakamura at right wingback. Thiago Andrade started up front, while Solomon Sakuragawa was left out of the starting lineup for the first time this season. The match began in strong winds. Tokyo Verdy won the coin toss and switched ends to play with the wind at their backs in the first half, but Cerezo made the better start. They pushed forward with accurate passing and by winning second balls. However, Tokyo Verdy gradually began to put pressure on Cerezo, creating danger through attacks down the sides. In the 12th minute, Yuzuki Someno got on the end of a cross and headed toward goal from a dangerous position, but the ball went over the crossbar. Another series of chances followed in the 14th minute, but Kosuke Nakamura made good saves to keep Cerezo from conceding. After the match, manager Pablo Machin and Shinnosuke Hatanaka both emphasized that not conceding during this spell was a major turning point in the game. After the water break, Cerezo began playing in Tokyo Verdy’s half. Komi got in behind and moved toward goal, while in the 30th minute, Yokoyama beat his defender and drove forward before unleashing a powerful shot from the corner of the penalty area, only to see it saved by the goalkeeper. In stoppage time, Cerezo attacked through the middle after a vertical pass from Hatanaka, with Thiago finishing the move with a shot. It was hit with power but went just wide. Cerezo had struggled against Tokyo Verdy’s attacks down the sides early on, but they fought their way back into the game and went into halftime with plenty to be encouraged by for the second half.





With the wind now at their backs, Cerezo attacked from the start of the second half. In the 46th minute, Thiago received the ball after Yokoyama’s run and took a shot. Komi also dribbled forward and shot in the 47th minute. With Shunta Tanaka and Jackson Irvine controlling the midfield as the double pivot, Cerezo dominated the game and won a series of set pieces, but the strong wind made it difficult to deliver the kicks accurately. Cerezo made their first substitutions in the 61st minute, with Hayato Okuda and Solomon Sakuragawa coming on for Takumi Nakamura and Komi. Okuda had assisted the opening goal against Kashiwa, while Sakuragawa had scored it, and Cerezo looked to recreate that combination. In the 64th minute, Sakuragawa met Ayumu Ohata’s cross with a header, while in the 68th minute, Tanaka had a great chance after running onto Okuda’s diagonal pass. However, he could not get a clean connection on his shot, which went wide. With the two substitutions further energizing Cerezo’s attack, Lucas Fernandes came on for Thiago in the 73rd minute. As the quality of Cerezo’s set pieces and crosses improved, Sakuragawa attacked Lucas’s cross in the 77th minute. However, just before he could make the pinpoint connection, a defender cleared the ball away. Jackson also attacked Lucas’s corner in the 79th minute. Cerezo dominated possession and continued to attack throughout the second half, but the opening goal remained elusive. In the 85th minute, manager Pablo Machin made another major tactical change, bringing on Shinji Kagawa and Pablo Sabbag for Ohata and Yokoyama. Lucas moved to right wingback, Okuda to left wingback, Kagawa to attacking midfield, and Sakuragawa and Sabbag formed a two-man front line as Cerezo looked to break through Tokyo Verdy’s defense. As hoped, Kagawa began to dictate play when he received the ball, while Sabbag made runs in behind and created a foothold. In stoppage time, Sabbag was brought down just outside the penalty area, winning a free kick in an excellent position. However, Lucas’s kick went over the crossbar. Cerezo continued to use Sakuragawa’s height to attack, including another header from a Lucas cross, but they could not break through Tokyo Verdy’s defense. The match ended 0-0. After the early stages of the first half, Cerezo managed the defensive risks well and kept a clean sheet, making it all the more frustrating that they could not find a goal to win the game. However, they also exposed a weakness, as manager Pablo Machin noted: “We didn’t create any clear chances while we had them pinned back in the second half.” The match ultimately ended in a scoreless draw.





“It was a game we had to win,” Hatanaka said frankly at the start of his post-match comments. He continued, addressing the challenge they faced: “When I think about how many chances we created to win the game, we didn’t create any big chances.” Yokoyama, who repeatedly threatened Tokyo Verdy with his dribbling, also expressed his frustration and vowed to score: “I want to be more aggressive myself so that we don’t finish the next game without scoring.” Cerezo’s home winning streak ended at three, but they came through their recent five-match run in all competitions with three wins, one draw and one loss. With many players getting on the field, the team has been able to improve their condition while also giving a clearer picture of the style of play they are aiming for this season. Next up is an away game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Cerezo will take stock of what they gained and what they need to improve from these last five games and look for a big three points to move up the standings.