Both teams put some good moves together but were denied by last ditch defending and good keeping before both teams rolled the dice with their late substitutions: Bando for Cerezo and Yano for Albirex. While the Bando card had proved to be a useful change on many occasions last season, it was Yano that proved to be the matchwinner today. The returning striker scored his first of the season striking a half cleared ball back across the keeper and into the far inside netting for Niigata’s first win of the season.