Review: Urawa Reds vs Cerezo Osaka (Levain Cup Quarterfinals 1st Leg)

Cerezo lose 0-2 away to Urawa Reds in the first leg of the Levain Cup quarterfinals, with a comeback in the home leg now the target.

Just two days' rest after their 3-2 away win over Gamba Osaka in the Osaka Derby, Meiji Yasuda J1 League Matchweek 14, Cerezo Osaka turned their attention to the J.League Yamazaki Biscuits Levain Cup and faced Urawa Reds in the quarterfinals. The quarterfinals are played over two legs, home and away, and Cerezo began the tie on the road.



Cerezo made seven changes to the starting lineup from the Osaka Derby, while keeping the same 4-4-2 formation. Urawa had more of the ball in the opening stages, but Cerezo’s defenders put their bodies on the line to block shots near goal and keep the opposition at bay. With less height in attack, Cerezo focused on making runs in behind the defense. In the 9th minute, a move that began with Shunta Tanaka’s pass to Satoki Uejo saw the ball move on to Reiya Sakata and then Javi Hernandez, creating a chance. In the 11th minute, Sakata intercepted the ball and drove forward before switching play to the opposite flank, where Lucas Fernandes delivered a cross. From the resulting corner, Uejo collected the loose ball and took a shot from outside the box. Cerezo were getting forward without taking too many touches. After the 30-minute mark, Cerezo began to take greater control of the match. They attacked while keeping possession and were quick to win the ball back whenever they lost it, allowing them to maintain their presence in the opposition half. In the 35th and 36th minutes, right back Takumi Nakamura advanced deep into the attacking third and delivered crosses. In the 37th minute, a good combination between Sakata and Javi created another opportunity down the left. It would have been ideal to take the lead during this spell, when Cerezo were mounting sustained attacks from both flanks. In the 40th minute, Yota Komi unleashed a long-range effort following a corner. His powerful shot was on target, but the goalkeeper made an excellent save. Cerezo faced a scare just before halftime, but the shots went wide. They went into the break without allowing Urawa a single shot on target.





Cerezo had hoped to carry their first-half momentum into the second half and score the opening goal, but an injury disrupted their plans in the 52nd minute. Kosei Okazawa injured his leg while dealing with an opponent inside Cerezo’s penalty area. On that play, goalkeeper Koto Abe got a hand to the final shot to keep it out, and Takumi Nakamura then cleared the ball just before it crossed the goal line. Two outstanding defensive interventions in quick succession prevented a goal, but Okazawa had sustained an injury that forced him off. Manager Pablo Machin brought on Solomon Sakuragawa in his place and moved Uejo back into defensive midfield. As Urawa stepped up their attacking pressure in the second half, they created another clear-cut chance in the 69th minute. Ado Onaiwu met a cross with a shot, but Abe produced another excellent save. Looking to change the momentum, Cerezo finally welcomed back a familiar face in the 71st minute. Thiago Andrade made his first appearance in an official match in about a month and a half, having last played in the Levain Cup second-round match against Fujieda MYFC in late September. He came on to give the attack more impetus, but three minutes later Cerezo conceded. They initially cleared a free kick just outside the penalty area, but Urawa recovered the second ball and sent in a cross. After collecting Dion Cools’ clearance, Hayate Ueki unleashed a powerful shot. He found a spot just beyond Abe’s reach, despite the goalkeeper having already made several excellent saves in the match. Against a Urawa side that brought on one key player after another in the second half, Cerezo began to fight back after the 80th minute and created a big chance in the 87th. Sakuragawa challenged for Cools’ long pass, and the defender failed to clear the ball cleanly, allowing it to roll into Thiago’s path. However, Thiago could not get a shot away first time, and the recovering defender closed him down, denying him the opportunity. Cerezo pushed deep into the opposition half again in the 89th minute and in stoppage time at 90+1, creating further chances but failing to convert. Then, in the 90+4th minute, they conceded a second goal. It was an avoidable goal to concede, as the goalkeeper's kick was headed straight back and Urawa broke down the flank far too easily.





Cerezo lost the first leg 0-2 away from home. The second goal conceded in the closing moments was a painful blow, but manager Pablo Machin said, “We want to win the second leg at home, overturn this scoreline, and fight our way into the semifinals.” In the 2025 Levain Cup, Cerezo won the first leg of the playoff round 4-1 at home, only to suffer a surprising elimination after losing the second leg 0-4 away. In that sense, the current deficit is by no means insurmountable. Cerezo will fight until the very end as they aim to turn the tie around and advance.