Cerezo Osaka – DF Takahashi expected to be out for at least two more weeks.
Vissel Kobe – A new coach has not yet been announced, the team will play under interim coach Adachi. FW Okubo is on the injury list but REALLY wants to be considered for this game against his old club. FW Tashiro expected to be missing at least two weeks.
Vissel Kobe (P9 W4 D0 L5 GD -3) fired coach Wada before the last game and promply walked all over Omiya Ardija, winning with ease on goals from Ogawa, Lee and Mogi – with his first touch as a substitute, and will be high on that win and hoping that Cerezo bring along their bad side this weekend. The Vissel line-up was registered as 2-7-1 last game which interim coach Adachi said was a psychological thing to get the opposition guessing. He also made changes in personnel, notably giving Kang Jo Park a start. In what could be his last game before a new caoch comes in, ADachi will want to make his mark, so expect 100% effort from this Vissel team.
Cerezo Osaka (P9 W$ D1 L4 GD +2) once again showed how wildly inconsistent they are this season after beating Jubilo Iwata last week then capitulating to give Consadole Sapporo their first win of the season on Thursday. They are just too tough to work out which team will come into this game but the law of averages says their good team! Having said that, I feel the adrenalin of the win last week, and the desire to win for Adachi will give this game to Kobe. Expect a Win for Vissel Kobe!
Vissel have five winds, to Cerezo’s three wins, with two draws over ten games. Vissel won both games by three goals last season!