J1 Section 9

2019.4.27 (Sat)　14:00



Cerezo OSAKA
Oita Trinita
0-0 0-0

Match review

  • Although they had more chances then the opponent, the one goal was far to reach and ended as no score draw. But Cerezo managed to stop consecutive defeats after 2.

    They faced the match against Oita Trinita with aiming the first victory at home since the J League opening game. Cerezo Osaka made 4 changes on their starting members from the last match against Shimizu S-Pulse. They were; Ken Tokura – after 2 games, Toshiyuki Takagi – the first appearance as a starter for this season’s league match, Hiroaki Okuno – after 4 games, and Eiichi Katayama – after 2 games.

    In the 1st half, it was Cerezo Osaka who started the game vigorously. They put pressure on the front and closed Oita’s pass works, then in the 4th minute, Tatsuya Yamashita made a cross to the ball from FK, and Yasuki Kimoto took a chance with his header. In the 6th minute, Hiroshi Kiyotake intercepted opponent GK’s kick and made a pass to Takagi. It was almost becoming the decisive moment, but Takagi’s shot missed the target. Also in the 15th minute, Kimoto received Katayama’s throw-in and made a cross, the ball became loose, but Kiyotake then Leandro Desabato made shots successively, but both attempts were blocked by Oita’s firm defence. Then in the 20th minute, Tokura received Kim Jin-hyeon’s kick and passed the ball to Takagi who ran through and made a cross back to Tokura who made a heading shot, but again, missed the target.

    It would be the best situation if Cerezo could have their opening goal during that time, however they struggled to break through the defence of Oita who’s only lost 6 goals in the League matches so far. Then gradually, Oita was starting to possess ball more and more, so Cerezo stopped their pressure on the front and back off their defence line. Although, towards end of 1st half, Oita almost broke through from side a few times, Cerezo didn’t allow them any shot on target, and ended the 1st half with a clean-sheet.

    Into the 2nd half, it was also Cerezo who took the offensive at the beginning. In the 47th minute, Tokura attacked from left side, then immediately after, Tokura and Leandro Desabato broke through a side by one-two and jumped onto Kiyotake’s cross, but couldn’t make good headers. And in 61st minute, Matej Jonjic made a heading shot to Kiyotake’s CK, but it went just over the crossbar.

    In the 2nd half, Cerezo didn’t allow Oita to have the ball and kept their possession, however, in 65th minute, like the last match, they had a scary moment from the opponent GK’s pass. Katayama failed to catch Kaoru Takayama of Oita who ran through for Oita’s GK Shun Takagi’s kick, allowed Takayama to enter the territory and Noriaki Fujimoto made a shot on target. However, Kim Jin-hyeon caught the ball tight and prevented to get scored.

    Towards end of the 2nd half, Oita regained and possessed ball, but Cerezo kept their firm defence. Then in the additional time, Cerezo had successively chances. In 91st minute, Katayama made a run through for Kiyotake’s pass, Oita’s GK came up for him, and that made an open goal. However, it didn’t reach to shoot for Cerezo. And in 93rd minute, Matej Jonjic made a header to Katayama’s long throw, but that was too straight to the GK.

    After all, the match ended as no score draw. As Cerezo didn’t give Oita’s offence any space and any chances, had more attacking chances for themselves, it was a match that they desperately wanted to have one goal and win, but it became 3 consecutive games without scoring, and exposed issues on their attack. Having say that, they managed to stop consecutive defeats at 2, and earned 1 winning point.