Review: Yokohama F. Marinos 3-1 Cerezo Osaka (J1 MD37) | Official website

Cerezo Osaka failed to capitalize on their strong start and conceded goals, suffering a 1-3 defeat. Their winning streak has ended at three.

Three weeks after the previous match against Shimizu S-Pulse, which saw them achieve their second three-match winning streak of the season, Cerezo Osaka traveled to the home of Yokohama F. Marinos to face Matchday 37 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, aiming for their first four consecutive wins of the season. The starting lineup had one change from the previous match. Shunta Tanaka returned and formed the midfield alongside Hinata Kida and Motohiko Nakajima, pairing together for the first time in two matches.

The team’s strong start had been noticeable, scoring two goals within the opening 15 minutes in both of the previous two matches. In this match, they again pressed the goal from kickoff, creating their first decisive chance in the 3rd minute. Motohiko Nakajima took a shot after receiving a lay-off from Rafael Ratao, who had received a pass from Niko Takahashi, having penetrated the penalty area. However, the shot was saved by a fine stop from the goalkeeper. A decisive chance came again in the 6th minute. Masaya Shibayama, who got behind the defense on the right side from a through pass by Hayato Okuda, slipped past the rushing goalkeeper and crossed the ball into the center. Ratao took a touch and shot, but this time it was blocked by a defender. In the 13th minute, Okuda shot from a cross by Thiago Andrade, who had broken through on the left side from a through pass by Tanaka. Cerezo pressed relentlessly in the early stages of this match too, but were unable to finish their chances. In the 25th minute, the opponent collected a long ball up front and spread it out to the wing, allowing Jordy Croux to cut inside in his characteristic fashion. The shot from his left foot was parried but not held by goalkeeper Koki Fukui, and Asahi Uenaka tapped in the rebound, giving the opponent the lead. Despite conceding from one of the opponent’s few chances, they continued to attack afterwards. In the 38th minute, Thiago received a pass from Shibayama and unleashed a right-footed shot, the powerful trajectory of which threatened the goal, but this too was saved by a fine stop from the goalkeeper. In the 44th minute, Cerezo broke down the left side with a sequence of passes involving Shinnosuke Hatanaka and Thiago, leading to a decisive opportunity for Nakajima, who had broken through from a through pass by Takahashi, but his shot missed the target. Cerezo attacked relentlessly in the first half but found the goal elusive, yet they managed to equalize in additional time. Thiago reacted to an error in the opponent’s defender’s clearance, getting to the ball just ahead of the opponent, and was subsequently fouled by the goalkeeper, winning a penalty kick. Ratao converted it, bringing the score back to level terms to end the first half.

Cerezo created the first decisive chance of the second half too. In the 58th minute, Ratao intercepted an opponent defender’s back pass and broke through vertically. He sent a delicate pass to Thiago, who was running alongside him, and Thiago, who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, cut back after his first touch and attempted a lob shot, but it missed the target and did not result in a goal. Another decisive chance nearly materialized in the 59th minute from a cross by Thiago, who had broken through on the left side from a through pass by Tanaka, but Ratao’s shot was blocked by a defender. Having failed to capitalize on the two good opportunities, in the 61st minute, a clearance from an opponent’s free kick was played directly into the attacking third, leading to a goal by Croux, who had gotten in behind the defense, and Cerezo conceded the go-ahead goal. A further accident occurred for Cerezo, who once again found themselves chasing the game. In the 65th minute, Takahashi was sent off with his second yellow card of the match. It was an unfortunate dismissal for manager Arthur Papas, who had already been preparing a triple substitution including the introduction of Ayumu Ohata. From this point on, Yokohama FM repeatedly created decisive chances, but Fukui prevented a third goal, saved by fine stops and even the crossbar. In second half additional time, Ratao connected with a through pass carried by Hatanaka, creating a decisive chance for Vitor Bueno. However, the shot aimed for the top near corner was again blocked by a fine save from the opponent’s goalkeeper. Then, in the 90+6th minute, Cerezo conceded a third goal from a counter-attack resulting from a failed clearance of a set piece. Cerezo were unable to grasp the flow of the game this matchday, losing 1-3, and their winning streak stopped at three.

After the match, captain Tanaka reflected: “I don’t think the start was bad. If we could have scored the opening goal, we could have completely taken control of the pace, but we failed to convert there, and we conceded in situations where we had to endure.” Heading into the next match, which is the final match of the season and the final home match, he stated with determination: “We are creating chances, so if we can finish them, and if the defense can manage risk properly, I think we will be fine. I want us to demonstrate everything we’ve built up this year in the final match and get the win.” Taking the challenges from this matchday as fuel, they aim to finish the season with a victory and smiles.