J-League Gamba Osaka 2-5 Cerezo Osaka: Cerezo Youth Product Shines - Sota Kitano Drives his side to Derby Day Victory

A jubilant opening day was capped off by Cerezo Osaka's win over fierce rivals Gamba Osaka, a brilliant advert for the J-League. I reported on the game remotely from my office in Scotland.

Cerezo started off strong recording 81% possession over their rivals on the 5 minute mark.

The game was introduced as aggressive and rather intense – fitting for a derby. With a foul each from both sides so early into the game.

Cerezo went off to a flying start after no.38 – the CAM, Kitano, make a covert drift out wide to Tanaka. It started from Kitano, and ended with Kitano.

He scored with an xG of 0.06 – defying the early odds.

Kitano seemed to be the star of the show, creating a hole in the defence with a lovely feint before almost giving Sakata a clean goal.

Cerezo break the 100 pass mark by the 20th minute, showing just how key their two centre-defensive midfielders have been in creating systems deep in their own half before playing the ball forward.

The away team loved a left-side overload, very often playing into the direction of the two youngsters, Sakata and Kitano, who seemed to dictate the play and soak up opposition press with ease.

Gamba began to get desperate around the 25th, registering shots including one on-target from veteran striker Usami, who was unlucky not to score.

Usami stood out as one of the better players from a somewhat disillusioned Gamba side.

Although Cerezo went off to a flying start, the right hand side was not particularly impressive – there was more hype wherever the heart of the attack – which was Kitano – drifted. It was mostly to the left hand side.

There might have been an emphasis on Ratao and Fernandes linking up while Kitano and Sakata did their thing – but as of the 28th minute mark there was not much energy surrounding the two Brazilians.

Gamba’s israeli midfielder Lavi had began to go in hard on Kitano with the realisation that he was indeed the energy. He was fouled twice in under a minute in the 29th. Minutes later, Lavi got a deserved goal after a tough resurgence from Gamba.

Lavi’s daring forward run rewarded him with a somewhat scrappy – but good – finish. It didn’t come with any pretty play but more so a rebellion down the same wing Kitano owned a few minutes ago.

The link-up between full-back Handa bombing up the wing, Usami’s distracting play, and Lavi’s finish meant Gamba are back level. It was a perfect example of adaptive play, they snuffed out the situation they were faced with early on in the game to turn it into their favour.

While Cerezo clearly favoured possession soaking triangle play, Gamba resort to direct down-the-wing volatility.

The central defensive midfielder Lavi has looked more like a box-to-box in disguise, hunting for another goal to put his side in front. 4 passes into the final third, no dispossession, and 100% accurate long balls as of the 44th minute.

HALF TIME - After the Cerezo’s introduction there was certainly an evening-out by the home side. Gamba Osaka (0.48) Cerezo Osaka (0.39).

Both sides missed one big chance each, Gamba had utilized set-pieces better (0.17 xG) but Cerezo have been more clinical on goal (1.51 xG) despite Gamba having more shots on target (3).

Cerezo dominated on possession but Gamba seemed to be more direct.

SECOND HALF – Cerezo go off to another flyer, after 20-year-old Kitano grabbed his second goal of the game after a deflection went in, off Lavi. The youngster got one over his villain once more.

After Cerezo’s new game plan to play deeper into Gamba’s half, they were rewarded with a third goal after tries after tries…

Shinji Kagawa finishes a free ball in the box after a block leaves it a free goal.

But seconds later, Gamba hit back with a desperate attack capped off with long-range smash from Kurokawa, the unexpected coming true. After having a somewhat quiet game the luck fell in place for the full-back. The assist provided by Gamba new boy Kanji Okunuki, who signed from FC. Nurnberg in January.

The game was halted for a good five minutes while VAR examined the goal. Despite all of this, the Gamba fans were still jubilant in their stride, chanting on amongst the uncertainty of the players on the field.

Goal was given and the game was set alight, Gamba seemingly inspired by this stroke of luck. Riku Handa an unsung hero as the young right-back got the second assist of the match, potentially a man of the match for the home team.

But Gamba are quelled rather quickly after a floated delivery straight from a free kick by the star Kitano, onto the head of Tanaka, beats Ichimori.

Cerezo were certainly in their groove afterwards, playing even down the right – which was empty in the first half. The switch-up in play has given Lavi and co. too much to handle.

Substitute Issam Jebali displayed a much needed drive for Gamba as he’s introduced. While a counter-attack almost handed Kitano his much-desired hattrick. It was an end-to-end match in the 70th minutes, despite the score being tipped to one side.

New man Thiago was given his debut by Cerezo in the 73rd minute, after joining from Toronto for a 488k euro fee in the winter. He was unlucky not to score after a shot on target was cleanly saved by Gamba’s Ichimori.

The employed attacking tactics worked for Gamba, the stubbornness definitely rewarded, however the difference in the defensive mentality and stability really set the two sides apart, the visitors managing to keep the home side’s attackers quelled, considering two defensive players scored.

In the 80th minutes, it was Cerezo who found their groove – pressing relentlessly and creating more chances (1.05 xG). 423 passes completed (84% accuracy) and six shots recorded on target out of 11 total shots (3,58 xG on target).

94th minute saw Cerezo kill the game off, substitute Nakajima with his first attempt of the game, spearheaded by an absolute masterclass of a feint, sending Nakatani and Fukuoka spiralling elsewhere. The finish down Ichimori’s left, leaving Gamba shellshocked with only minutes to go.

It took Nakajima only eight touches to kill the game off after coming on (100% successful dribbles).