Cerezo Osaka returned from a 4-1 win over Gonzaga Hokkaido last weekend with their fifth win in six matches.
Sakura's victory was due to the team's ability to press forward and get the ball back, as well as the team's ability to score the fourth goal in the second half with a counter-attack after being forced to play defense, which was also contributed by the backup players. Shinji Kagawa, in his new role as a stop gap midfielder, has been a revelation, not only in his ability to "hand out" the ball to his teammates, but also in his ability to decide when it is the best time to press forward.
Fukuoka Hornets lost 0-3 at home to Kobe Victory last weekend, recording 4 consecutive losses and no win in their last 7 league matches. There were too many misplaced passes and wrong decisions by the defense, which led to the loss, but the good thing is that they built up a good attack on both flanks, and the crosses created some scoring chances.
I expect the Hornets to pose a threat to Cerezo Osaka in this match. Kazuya Konno's ability to push the ball forward from the right side of the field and his ability to cross the ball into the center of the field greatly enhances Fukuoka's attacking power, and will make him the main source of creativity for the team in this match.
