Cerezo win the final game of a five-match run, attacking until the very end to match their season-high with three goals, as Shinji Kagawa’s penalty proves the winner.<\/p>\n
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Two days after the match against Shimizu S-Pulse, Cerezo Osaka returned to their home ground, YANMAR HANASAKA STADIUM, to face V-Varen Nagasaki in Matchday 16 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 100 Year Vision League Regional League Round. The starting lineup featured four changes from the previous match, with Thiago Andrade, Motohiko Nakajima, Hayato Okuda, and Kosuke Nakamura returning to the side after a one-game absence. Thiago started as the lone striker, with Nakajima in the hole and Okuda at left-back.<\/p>\n
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Cerezo were initially met with a high press from Nagasaki. In the 8th minute, a clearance from Kosuke Nakamura was intercepted, allowing Norman Campbell to break through the backline, but Dion Cools prevented a goal with a superb recovery. Cerezo responded immediately in the 9th minute when Okuda intercepted a switch of play deep in opposition territory. Yumeki Yokoyama drove forward and centered for Nakajima, who beat his marker with his first touch and unleashed a dipping strike that narrowly cleared the crossbar. In the 14th and 16th minutes, Cerezo bypassed the press with slick buildup to find Thiago in behind; though both were ruled offside, the interplay spearheaded by Masaya Shibayama was encouraging. Just as Cerezo were asserting control, they conceded a penalty in the 21st minute after Cools was judged to have committed a high-boot foul in the box during a corner sequence. Ryogo Yamasaki converted the spot-kick to give Nagasaki the lead. Despite the misfortune of the penalty\u2014reminiscent of the Shimizu match\u2014Cerezo equalized quickly. In the 28th minute, Okuda intercepted a vertical pass high up the pitch. Shinnosuke Hatanaka found Shibayama, who fed Nakajima to split the center; as Nakajima prepared to shoot, Thiago arrived from behind to lash the ball home, with Nakajima credited for the assist. In the 30th minute, Shibayama, Nelson Ishiwatari, and Cools\u2014who frequently rotated positions\u2014combined to break down the right flank, ending with a long-range effort from Okuda on the opposite side. In the 37th minute, Thiago threatened again with a header from a Yokoyama cross. In first-half stoppage time, Thiago beat his man on the left and centered for Nakajima, whose turn and shot sailed over the bar. After weathering the early press, Cerezo dictated play following the equalizer and finished the half with momentum.<\/p>\n
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Cerezo maintained their offensive stance in the second half. In the 59th minute, Ishiwatari won possession in midfield and found Nakajima, who crossed from the left; the clearance fell to Yokoyama, who teed up Ishiwatari for a chip that drifted just wide. Continuing to probe deep into the final third, Cerezo won a corner in the 62nd minute via a Cools cross. From the ensuing delivery in the 63rd minute, Shunta Tanaka met Shibayama\u2019s precise kick at the near post to head Cerezo in front. Marking their third consecutive game with a goal from a set piece, Cerezo stayed on the front foot. However, in the 72nd minute, they were caught on the break after their own corner was cleared. Matheus Jesus, a second-half substitute, drove forward and rounded Kosuke Nakamura to equalize. It was a lapse in risk management during a period of sustained dominance. Unfazed, Cerezo continued to push for a winner. In the 77th minute, Rikito Inoue hit the post from a Shibayama corner, and a minute later, Shibayama drew a save after cutting inside. Their persistence paid off in the 81st minute when Nakajima won a penalty following a counterattack involving Shibayama and Thiago. Nakajima took the kick himself but fired it straight at Go Hatano\u2019s legs, with the rebound hitting the bar. In the 85th minute, Manager Papas made a triple substitution, introducing Shion Homma, Shinji Kagawa, and Satoki Uejo for the attacking trio. Solomon Sakuragawa replaced Thiago in the 88th minute, setting the stage for late drama. In the 90th minute, Sakuragawa\u2019s shot from a Kagawa pass struck a defender\u2019s hand. Following a VAR-assisted on-field review, a penalty was awarded. This time, Kagawa stepped up and clinically found the bottom left corner, beating Hatano despite the keeper guessing correctly. After surviving a barrage of long throws and a point-blank save from Kosuke Nakamura in the 98th minute, Cerezo emerged 3-2 winners after ten minutes of stoppage time.<\/p>\n
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“I think it was a very exciting game for the supporters,” Manager Arthur Papas began after the match. “We saw a lot of courage to play forward and get into the penalty area. The opposition is a threat, but our group showed an attacking mentality today, making this a very significant victory.” While the five-match run highlighted some issues in closing out games, Cerezo secured eight points and climbed to 4th place. Their next match is a crucial home clash against league leaders Nagoya Grampus, who sit six points ahead. To keep their title hopes alive, the team must unite to secure all three points.<\/p>\n
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