Cerezo Osaka 2 - 2 Urawa Reds

Both teams were evenly matched and a draw was always on the cards but it was by far the most entertaining game this season. Golden week, discount tickets and Urawa Reds helped to fill Nagai Stadium with 32,378 people enjoying the match. The Reds supporters didn't cause any problems this time except for their usual uncourteous (for Japanese football fans) behaviour. Sugimoto's strike and all round play means Edno will be on the bench for the foreseeable future. As usual at home after taking the lead we always look like letting the other team back into the game. Also our policy of not tackling or defending corners properly allowed Urawa to take the lead. Yamaguchi equalised and after that both he and Simplicio came close with long range efforts. Very positive signs from this game although our lack of width is worrying especially for Sugimoto who would thrive on some decent crosses. Hopefully playing away at Kawasaki Frontale will give us a chance to build on this performance and cement our position in the top half of the table.

Football fans and/or wannabe hooligans

They're not scarves BTW they're called "towel mufflers"

Keeping things in order

 



Shonan Bellmare 0 - 3 Cerezo Osaka

Again Edno didn't start and this time didn't come off the bench either so I'm starting to wonder whether we night be loaning him out to a J2 team this season (he himself is on loan to us from the Mexican club Tigres but we've done similar things before). But on to more positive things we scored 3 great team efforts with Kakitani grabbing two to put him on 6 league goals this campaign ( 6 more than Edno...sorry!) and Yamaguchi getting the other. Sugimoto looked really comfortable and was on the same wavelength as his team-mates as he was involved in all of the goals. Next up this Golden Week Urawa Reds visit Nagai Stadium and we're all hoping their fans are on their best behaviour after Shimizu.

Amazing 3 - 3 draw at the renamed Noevir Stadium in Kobe

Kobe play in J2 this year which means no away trip with Cerezo to their lovely stadium and my usual pre-match trip to the Hobgoblin pub, Chinatown and the German beer and currywurst shop. As J2 games are held on Sunday (when an English breakfast is 999yen) I went down and saw a marvellous comeback from Fagiano Okayama as they scored 3 in the space of 10 minutes with the last coming in injury time to leave Kobe still leading J2 but their fans slightly miffed (there were boos at the final whistle). Fagiano is the Italian for pheasant in case you were wondering about Okayama's name. Noevir is a make-up company as the stadium has it's third sponsorship change in as many years. This is one that builds on the great women's team INAC Kobe Lionessa which features many of the national team players. Fans that made the trip were given a free sample of face cream. Kobe will welcome Gamba Suita at the Noevir for their Golden Week Kansai Derby.

The flag waving didn't put off the penalty taker although finally the Okayama fans went home happy

The "Renewal Open" Kincho Stadium witnesses a goalless draw against Oita Trinita

Oita Trinita currently languish at the bottom of J1 but left with a point despite hitting the woodwork in quick succession. To be fair to Cerezo they did manage a pretty decent 16 shots this game whilst always looking susceptible to an Oita counter. Edno was dropped today for the first time but looked lively when brought on. As usual our brightest spark throughout was Kakitani who seems likely to leave this summer with Dortmund being touted as one possible destination. This was the first game this season in the slightly revamped Kincho Stadium with a larger standing section behind the goal which our fans celebrated by chipping in together to pay almost a million yen for a new banner.

If you wear the away colours in this section you can't watch the game, new rules this season.

Locals show their support

Trinita supporters gave it their all to help lift their team

Impressive!
 

 

Cerezo Osaka 1 - 2 Omiya Ardija

League leaders Omiya left with 3 points as they scored very early and very late on with our only goal coming from Kakitani. Shin Kanazawa scored from just past the halfway line after spotting Kim Jin-Hyeon off his line about 22 seconds into the game. An expected result as we are still trying to work out our best system (perhaps something with a striker who can score would help?) while the squirrels on the other hand are comfortably beating all comers at the moment.

Sitting, or standing in this case, pretty at the top of J1

 



Kashima Antlers 1 - 0 Cerezo Osaka

It's been a while since Jin-Hyeon made this kind of blunder and unfortunately it cost us today as we suffered our first defeat in the league when it allowed Yasushi Endo to score the winner in the 58^th minute. Some of our early season performances haven't warranted the points we've been getting so it's no surprise about the result although the manner of the loss is frustrating. FC Tokyo visit Osaka for a Nabisco Cup match on Wednesday night.

2nd with a 100% record...after 3 games

Didn't make it to the game but these highlights (and commentary if you understand Japanese) can't really do justice to a couple of crucial offside decisions leading to a goal for Cerezo's Hotaru Yamaguchi and one disallowed for FC Tokyo. Next game is in the Nabisco Cup against Grampus in Nagoya. That's on Wednesday 20^th at 4pm as it's a public holiday here in Japan to celebrate the Vernal Equinox.