Vissel Kobe 2-0 Kyoto Sanga
From intrepid reporter and www.jsoccer.com "owner", Alan Gibson ...

It was a chilly Sunday lunchtime as I set out from home after a nice pasta lunch and a couple of Coke Zeros (or is that Zeroes? or even Zero's?) to venture forth
and see if Vissel Kobe had what it takes to see off Kansai rivals Kyoto
Sanga in the opening game of the 2010 J.League season. The opening day
had already produced the first surprise result of the season - especially if you
were a Jubilo fan - with Vegalta scoring the first goal of the new
season within a minute of the start of their away game with Iwata. That
proved to be the winner in an end-to-end contest.

Elsewhere, Kashima walked over Reds, Frontale steamrollered Albirex and
FC Tokyo gained three points with an injury time winner from Sota
Hirayama against Yokohama F Marinos. Bellmare and Mentedio ground out a
1-1 draw, S-Pulse scraped a point with a 94th minute equaliser against
Sanfrecce, and Gamba dominated a game only to lose 2-1 at home to Nagoya
with both goals down to defensive lapses - the winner being gifted, to
Kanazawa to set up Kennedy, by Endo, of all people.

Vissel had shipped out Kim - who had a decent 2009 - and Marcel and Alan
Bahia - no surprise to anyone there - possibly two of the worst imports
to the Japanese game ever? (Feel free to send in your "worst foreigner
who played in Japan entries now!). Unfortunately, in this writer's
opinion, the two incoming gaikokujin - Edmilson (Oita) and Popo (Reysol)
- were just rejects from relegated teams, and would add very little to
Vissel Kobe's options this season. One can only hope I am proved wrong
in a big way, but I am not optimistic!

In front of almost 20,000 fans, Vissel began with a not unexpected 4-4-2
formation with Popo and Mogi up front, supported by Yoshida and Park in
attacking midfield roles, the defensive midfield duties in the hands of
new import Edmilson and last year's Most Improved Player Matsuoka - in
his preferred position, after spending most of last season covering left
back. The defence lined up as - right to left - Ishibitsu, Kitamoto,
Komoto and Kobayashi. Enomoto was the preferred choice in goal.

Vissel took most of the ball in the opening exchanges and in the 11th
minute Popo fed Yoshida around the back of the defence and his shot
skimmed across the face of the goal and just wide of the post. A minute
later Park found Popo with a cross field ball and his exchange with
Edmilson found - of all people - left back Kobayashi sneaking in from
the right for an open goal from ten yards out, but the finish was
difficult and the full back couldn't convert.

In the first 25 minutes or so, Vissel had confounded my, admittedly,
pessimistic expectations and held the ball, made some decisive passes,
and been in no trouble at the back, but, then again, this was "only"
Kyoto (apologies to Cesare). While not quite the top-drawer foreigners that I would have hoped
for to replace Marcel and Alan Bahia, Popo, in particular looked a
whole lot better than those boys! Beggars can't be choosers? Popo was looking
intelligent - using space, spraying passes, although Edmilson was
looking a bit of a donkey - and had already been booked for ploughing
through the keeper twice at free kicks!

In the 24th, Vissel came as close as they could have done without scoring, as Mogi latched onto a
right wing ball, moved in past a defender and his low cross was almost
headed home - even though Yoshida was falling to the ground - as he went over from
a push! A minute later and Kwak was lucky to escape his 2nd yellow in
minutes as he dragged Mogi to the ground by his neck. The referee saw it
the other way and Kwak stayed on the field - an unbelievably bad
decision by referee, Mr. Ogiya, so no change there. A minute later,
another completely wrong decision in front of the Vissel bench had the
home team throwing their arms up in disbelief as the referee gave a
throw-in the wrong way .... oh, what fun!

It was noticeable how much the away team were pulling and pushing and,
although the referee was spotting most of it, the free kick was all he
was giving, when it was breaking up Vissel play and pressuring defenders
unfairly ... there were going to be a few yellow cards in this game if
this kept up.

It was also noticeable that, while Vissel had made the Kyoto defence and
keeper work hard, there had not actually been a save to make - no decent final shot, while at
the other end Enomoto had done little except drop a long free kick at
the feet of Kitamoto. It was looking promising for Kobe and, even though
I'd expressed reservations about the foreigners and lack of investment
at Vissel, the Japanese players - to a man - were giving it all and
could not be faulted. Certainly Kyoto had not done anything but sent
hopeful long balls towards the competent heads of Kitamoto and Komoto!
And then, suddenly, in the 40th minute, one of those long balls almost
worked, as Yanagisawa broke free, two men behind him and his ball back
across the area gave Diego a big target to aim at, but Enomoto got
smartly down to save. It has to be noted that, although only one save to
make, Enomoto had made three handling errors in this first half already
.. it was hopefully not going to affect his confidence!

So far, so good, Vissel, but give us a goal!! Or three! And suddenly,
Vissel obliged, as a sneaky overhead ball from Yoshida fell nicely for Popo,
who showed how confident he was by hitting it first time, on the bounce,
and it went in off a post for the first goal of the season for the
Crimson Tide!

Half time 1-0 - and Vissel looking efficient, if not too exciting!

The 2nd half began in the same vein, as Vissel made some great passes and
penetrated into space, but it was a superb counter attack that saw them
increase their lead. The ball bounced around the Vissel area like a
pinball, but no finishing touch was applied and the ball was cleared and the away midfield dallied with it, and Edmilson stripped the ball and
sent an instant through pass to Park breaking free over the half way line with no defender in tripping distance, with Yoshida and
Popo following close on his heels, and, as the poor keeper made his
decision to go for Park, the Vissel midfielder just slipped it left to
Popo, one touch to control, one more touch to make it 2-0!

On the hour mark, Ishibitsu broke forward swiftly, exchanged passes with
Park and forced a save ... it was hotting up, with Vissel providing
most of the gasoline, and coach Miura added more fuel to the fire when
he took off Popo and brought on crowd favourite and Japan international
star Yoshito Okubo on 63 minutes. Okubo failed to ignite, though, obviously not match fit - or even 100% recovered, but the rest
of the Vissel valiants fought for every ball, covered every blade of
grass and didn't allow Kyoto into the game for a moment.

In the 83rd Vissel came close to adding a third goal as Okubo broke from
midfield, found Yoshida on the left and his cross was almost met by Park
from six yards out, but the defender got a toe in to put it out for a
corner ... well, actually, not, as the referee gave a goal kick - par
for the course today! And a minute later Mogi got around the back of the
defence but his volley from the difficult the high ball just crept past
the post.

With minutes to go, the Kyoto players were getting more and more
frustrated and it manifested itself in Komoto being taken out from
behind and then Diego earning a yellow card for a petulant push on
Matsuoka. It was noticeable that Diego was all over the field, taking
all the free kicks (but creating nothing from any of them) and it is
safe to say that Kyoto will have problems this season if they rely as
much on the one-dimensional (and one footed!) Diego as they did in this
game.

Into lost time Vissel were still going for it and Okubo - chasing down a
lost cause - created an opening, and then coach Miura was noticeably
upset with a wasted pass, even though the points were sealed by this
time.

Kitamoto and Komoto were a Kouple of swells, Matsuoka was masterful, Mogi
was marvelous,Ishibitsu was incredible, Park was pumped, Popo popped a
couple in, and Vissel fully deserved the three points.

Vissel Kobe 2-0 Kyoto Sanga.


Posted by Alan on 07 Mar 2010