Pick Up Match

Cerezo Osaka U-18   1-3 (1st 0-2, 2nd 1-1)   Gamba Osaka Youth

Gamba Osaka Youth and Cerezo Osaka U-18 squared off in the Osaka derby, which appeared to influence the league title race, as both sides showed tenacity for a victory in the heated contest.

While both sides did not allow opponents to take the initiative from the start, Gamba Osaka began to push forward, attacking the sides behind the opposing defensive line. As Doan Ritsu said later “I thought something was going to happen if I send a ball close to their goal,” his shot-like cross squirmed off the opposing goalkeeper's gloves in the 43rd minute, and Senoo Naoya tapped in the loose ball to open the scoring. Two minutes later, Senoo doubled the lead to give his side a two-goal lead before the break.

In the second half, Cerezo Osaka took the pace from two-goal down as they robbed the ball high up the pitch and made quick transitions from defence to offence to close in to goal. In the 55th minute, after Kishimoto Takeru fed a cross in, Onozawa Toshiki put it into the back of the net. Yet after that, Cerezo could not find an equaliser against Gamba’s goalkeeper Hayashi Mizuki, who made a great save.

When the match entered the added time of the second half with Gamba’s one goal up, Gamba again doubled their lead. When Ichimaru Mizuki fed a cross from the right flank, substitute Nakamura Fumiya received the ball around the box and turned forward to fire a left-footed shot. “I was thinking of keeping the ball to protect the slender lead. But all I came up with when I got the ball was taking a shot,” said Nakamura after the match. Gamba Osaka extended their lead with his shot to grab the three points at 3-1 and claimed the solo top spot in the league.

Comments

MURATA Kazuhiro, Head Coach (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
In our current tough spell, I left the game plan up to my players, but it didn’t work out well. In the second half our staff gave them some advice and the team could improve the speed of our plays. The game brought us some issues like the importance of making a decision by themselves during a game.

MUKUI Hayato (Cerezo Osaka)
In the first half, we couldn’t show our compact football that we aimed for but could adjust the distance between players after our staff gave some words to us in the second half. Osaka derby is an important game as lots of fans came to the stadium, so I wanted to win.

UMEZU Hironari (Gamba Osaka Youth)
When we conceded the goal in the second half, I thought we would get more confused, but players kept their concentration. While we gave up the pace to Cerezo, we stopped their attacks and scored the third goal. That was great. We will keep seeking how to play and go for the remaining games.

Doan Ritsu (Gamba Osaka Youth)
Today was special because the opponents were Cerezo Osaka. I wanted to get a goal but I thought it would be good at least if I contribute to someone’s goal. So I’m happy I had an assist. . We came to have unity as a team who contends for the championship and are becoming a good team.

Results of Other Matches

Higashiyama High School   1-5 (1st 0-3, 2nd 1-2)   Higashi Fukuoka High School
Nagoya Grampus U18   2-3 (1st 0-2, 2nd 2-1)   Kyoto Tachibana High School
Vissel Kobe U-18   3-0 (1st 2-0, 2nd 1-0)   Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth
Kyoto Sanga F.C.U-18   5-0 (1st 3-0, 2nd 2-0)   Toyama Daiichi High School

Higashi Fukuoka High School (Fukuoka) grabbed the first win in the last four matches as their attacking end routed Higashiyama High School (Kyoto) with five goals at Higashiyama’s home. At the contest between Nagoya Grampus U18 (Aichi) and Kyoto Tachibana High School (Kyoto), the latter notched their long-waited first win of the season with Nakano Katsuya’s late winning goal. Vissel Kobe U-18 (Hyogo) started with Nakasaka Yuya’s opening goal and eventually netted three goals, beating Sanfrecce Hiroshima Youth (Hiroshima) to extend their winning streak to eight. Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (Kyoto) cruised past Toyama Daiichi High School (Toyama) with five goals as they sit fifth in the table.