清水エスパルスは、ＬＢ李記帝とＣＢヨンアピンが出場停止。ＤＦ吉田は体力テストを受けている。
復活を始めたエスパルスにとって、この試合が試金石となる。エスパルスが勝利すれば、レッズに勝ち点１差まで肉薄できるが、敗れれば積み上げた自信がへこみ、勝ち点差も７に開いてしまう。得点力不足に悩む両チームだが、アレックス・ブロスケのサポートを大前と高木が得点するなど、ここ数試合、エスパルスの得点感覚は戻ってきている。オンピック後移籍の金賢聖もエスパルスでの初ゴールを狙う。
エスパルスが、高得点試合を制する！
J.League Matchday 22 – August 18th – Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka went into this tough away game at Nagoya on an unbeaten J1 run of three games – a great improvement on what had gone before – and knowing that a win, and results going well elsewhere, would go a long way to seeing them edge toward safety from relegation. The team were confident, and the fans were boisterous, but who could have predicted this result?!
Gamba had the better of the opening exchanges including Sato forcing a fine save from Narazaki in the Nagoya goal when the Gamba fans were already on their feet celebrating!
But it was heading toward half time when the breakthrough finally came. An Endo corner was headed point blank at the keeper by a defender. Narazaki made the snap save, but the ball fell to Leandro who, in classic poacher mode, controlled, and blasted home from close range with his left foot to open the scoring in the 38th minute. It was soon 2-0 – and the home team were down to ten men – from an Endo penalty kick, after Masukawa had made a hash of controlling the ball, lost out to Sato, the Gamba forward advancing into the area and being brought down by the Grampus defender. Masukawa took an early bath, Endo doubled the score from the spot.
Leandro just missed adding to the score as half time approached, his 20 yard strike coming back off the bar with the keeper beaten. But the score was increased in the 68th minute, a short Endo corner was returned to the influential no.7 and his deep cross found Konno at the far post to head home – his first J.league goal for Gamba – and it was 3-0, Gamba cruising, and, moments later, it was 4-0 – a low, hard Futagawa cross deftly flicked past the helpless keeper by Sato to take his goal tally for the season to 10.
Yet it was not over for Nagoya, who must have been hoping for a final whistle sooner rather than later and Paulinho, on as a substitute minutes before, rounded out the scoring with another close-up finish from a low cross as Gamba ran rampant on the wings. Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka and Gamba made it two wins, two draws in their last four games as the journey to mid-table consolidation, or beyond, continued apace.
More importantly, perhaps, for the Gamba defence was that clean sheet. After dropping points against the likes of Urawa Reds and Sagan Tosu, while dominating those home games for long periods, perhaps the winning mentality has finally returned. Not a moment too soon! Gamba moved to within two points of Ardija (who won) and Cerezo (who lost), and above Albirex. Bring on Consadole Sapporo next week!
Gamba Osaka – Fujigaya, Iwashita, Niwa, Konno, Fujiharu, Myojin, Endo (Omori, 81), Futagawa (Takei, 71), Kurata, Sato, Leandro (Paulinho, 71)
Consadole Sapporo 2-4 Vissel Kobe
With Ogawa suspended after last week’s harsh red card (or technically two yellows) Mogi was given his first start of the season, partnering Tashiro up front, with Okubo in a left attacking midfield role.
There was a dream start for Vissel Kobe in Sapporo, looking to build on last week’s home win over Urawa Reds, when they went 1-0 up in the opening exchanges. A superb Soma cross found Tashiro, who unleashed a bullet header and forced a fine reflex save from the keeper, but the rebound found the Vissel forward as he was falling and he volleyed it home before he hit the ground. It was Nozawa who found Tashiro for the ex-Antlers forward’s chance of a second goal but, after his initial excellent control, he skied the ball and the score remained 1-0 at the break.
Just before that break, Okubo had been carried off and replaced by Vissel veteran Yoshida and there were no further changes at the beginning of the 2nd half.
Vissel deservedly added to their lead when Nozawa earned a free kick and got up off the ground to slot it into the goal himself, 2-0 53 minutes gone. But then the game turned when Consadole were awarded a PK as Ramon collided with Mogi and went down theatrically. He soon got up and converted his chance to make it 2-1 on 66 minutes. And then came an unlikely equalizer as Uehara connected with a looping header that Tokushige in the Vissel goal saw go in off the post. 2-2 and back level with less than 15 minutes to go.
To add urgency to his attack, and go for maximum points, Vissel coach Nishino threw on Tokura, for Tanaka, and this soon paid off as the sub held off a challenge from behind – moving on to a pass from Tashiro – allowing Nozawa to scoop the ball into the net from close range for the Kobe captain’s second goal of the game, and Vissel were back in front to stay on 81 minutes,
Two minutes later, the 4-2 goal came to clinch the points after good work on the left wing saw Soma put the ball on a plate for a first time cross from Nozawa that hung in the air before Tokura headed it home at the back post. Vissel Kobe win again, three more points, and are slowly climbing the table.
Vissel’s next three games are at home to Sagan and Jubilo and away to Kashima. All three teams ate there for the taking and nine points would take Vissel into position to challenge for a top three spot come the end of the seaso… can they do it? Watch this space!
Vissel Kobe – Tokushige, Okui, Kitamoto, Takagi, Soma, Hashimoto, Tanaka (Tokura), Nozawa, Okubo (Yoshida), Mogi (Park), Tashiro
エスパルスが戻って来た！２節前に首位サンフレッチェを倒し、続くナビスコ杯では高木の土壇場の決勝弾により４-３の接戦で名古屋を制し、前節はリーグ戦でも名古屋を倒したエスパルスは、ブロスケ、大前、高木が得点者の中に名を連ねて、ようやく峠を越した感がある。アレックス・ブロスケと、ちびっこコンビの大前・高木が完全復調を果たすなら、エスパルスの前進は今後も止まりそうもない。
東京ヴェルディへの期限付き移籍でジミー・フランサが抜けた外国人枠を早々に埋めるべく、エスパルスはキム・ヒョンソンを期限付き移籍で獲得している。高原らの力をうまく引出し、大前や高木らをサポートする能力は脅威だ。
前半戦は、まずはＪ１での位置を確保することに着実に努めたサガン鳥栖は、現在、首位まで２試合差の６位。今日の試合を落とすと、エスパルスに並ばれてしまう。非常な混戦状態のＪ１だが、このままホームストレッチに向かうのか。ホームゲームにはもっぱら強いサガンだが、目下快調のエスパルスとのこの試合、清水エスパルスの勝利だろう。
Sagan Tosu – MF Okamoto is suspended. DF Kitani out for at least another month.
Shimizu S-Pulse – FW Franca has moved on loan to Verdy allowing the signing of FW Kim Hyun-Sung on loan. DF/MF Muramatsu is back from the Olympics.
Only one previous meeting between these two teams, the 1-1 draw earlier this season.
Shimizu S-Pulse are BACK! After beating top team Sanfrecce two games back, they took out Nagoya in the Nabisco Cup in a 4-3 thriller that saw them go thought on away goals on a last gasp Takagi winner. Then they proceeded to beat Nagoya in the league, also, last weekend and upped their goals total with Brosque, Omae and Takagi all getting in among the goals again – have S-Pulse turned the corner? Certainly, if the diminutive front pair of Omae and Takagi can continue their revival, with the likes of Alex Brosque in support S-Pulse will continue their rise up J1.
Jymmy Franca has been released to Tokyo Verdy on loan, freeing up a foreigner spot and S-Pulse have not delayed, bringing in FW Kim Hyun-Sung on loan until the end of the season. He’s a big man to push the likes of Takahara to bigger things or to supplement the likes of Omae and Takagi.
Sagan Tosu have quietly gone about their business of consolidating their place in j1 in their first ever season in the top flight and currently sit in 6th spot, just two wins off the top. A loss today would bring S-Pulse level with them, such is the close nature of the J1 table this season as we go into the home stretch, but Tosu have an excellent home record and despite the critics predicting the bubble will burst sooner rather than later, they are still winning points and fans with their play.
They have won three of their last four – beating Kashima, Kawasaki and Tokyo – all teams in close proximity, thereby keeping themsleves above their opponents. It’s the same with this game – a win they pull away from S-Pulse, a loss, and they’re level.
While Sagan have an enviable home record I feel that the timely changes and the adrenalin of recent results will mean that we can EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE.
負傷者続発で苦しい戦力のジュビロだが、オリンピックから戻ったベク・ソンドンのチーム復帰は大きい。このジュビロ駆動の要はチームの機能を促進するはずだが、現在、最下位３チームを除けば最悪のディフェンス陣は改善が求められる。ここ５試合でわずか１勝の相手は、最下位の札幌。上位３チームに喰らいついて行くためには、この試合は必勝。
キム・ボギョン、清武の抜けた後、山口と扇原の帰国は好材料。このところ慣れない中盤での戦いが続いているが、その中で健闘する柿谷の存在は大きい。負傷者多数のジュビロ、主力選手復帰のセレッソ、この試合はセレッソに分！
Jubilo Iwata – GK Kawaguchi is out for the season. FW Kanazono is out for at least another two months. MF Matsuoka is out for the season. MF Yamamoto out for a month, DF Cho out for at least another two weeks. FW Han out for a month or so.
Cerezo Osaka – MFs Yamaguchi and Ogihara and FW Sugimoto have returned from Olympic duty.
7 wins for Jubilo, 6 for Cerezo and 2 draws since 2003 – all in J1, of course. Jubilo have never been relegated.
Jubilo are suffering from a long injury list and are starting to tire and drop points when they really would like to be winning games. Influential Korean MF/FW Baek will be back from the Olympics and I feel he is a key man in the machine at Jubilo and may help turn things around for them but they must tighten up their defence – outside the bottom three they have the worst defensive record in J1. Having said that they have scored almost two goals per game on average so expect goals one way or another! They have won just one of the last five, and that was against bottom club Sapporo, and, if they are to stay in touch with the top 3 this is a must win for them.
Cerezo Osaka have been hit from all sides this season and must be wondering what they have to do to keep a fixed team. With Yamaguchi and Ogihara at London 2012 and Kim and Kiyotake shipped out, they have been playing with an entirely new midfield for the last few games and it’s only due to some timely goals from Kakitani that they are not deeper in trouble. The player, who signed with Cerezo before he was ten years old, but then spent the best part of three seasons at Tokushima Vortis developing his game, returned just in time to help the team get over the losses of Kagawa and Inui, and then saw Ienaga, Kim and Kiyotake also leave the team. He is the man to watch, a rising star, but how long will Cerezo be able to hold onto him? Jubilo injuries and players returning to Cerezo will swing it towards a WIN for CEREZO OSAKA!
復調の兆しが見えるガンバ大阪のここ３試合は、１勝２分け。結果次第ではあるが、アルディージャとアルビレックスにもうひと踏ん張りの位置にいる。それだけに、勝ち点を積み重ねていくのみであることは、チーム共通の理解だ。一方の名古屋グランパスは、ここ２試合—Ｊ１とナビスコ杯—を７失点でエスパルスに連敗している。その前のヴィッセル戦では、闘莉王を前線に置く布陣で５-１の勝利を収めているが、今日その闘莉王は出場停止。玉田とケネディの出場がいまだ危ぶまれる中、オリンピック帰りの永井に期待したい。ただ、周囲の選手との連動で働く永井を誰がサポートするのか。敗戦せずにこのまま前進を続けて行きたいガンバは、最低でも引き分けが欲しい試合だが、この試合に関しては、ガンバ大阪の勝利を期待できる！
Nagoya Grampus – Tulio is suspended. FW Nagai is back from the Olympics., while FWs Kennedy and Tamada are both expected to be out but will be tested for fitness. MF Isomura out for at least a month more.
Gamba Osaka – RBs Kaji AND Eduardo both re-injured themselves and will be out. GK Kimura and DF Nakazawa are both out with broken legs. FW Kawanishi still regaining match fitness after a broken leg – not ready.
Very even over the last decade with 8 wins for Nagoya, 7 for Gamba, and 4 draws.
Gamba have won one and drawn two of their last three games – three games where a mini-revival has begun. They are now within a win of leap-frogging both Omiya Ardija and Albirex Niigata – depending on their results, of course – and KNOW they have to keep racking up the points to reach safety. Nagoya have conceded 7 goals to S-Pulse in their last two games – J1 and Nabisco Cup – and lost both. Before that, they beat Vissel 5-1 with four goals coming from Tulio. With Tulio suspended today, the team will be hoping that Kensuke Nagai – fresh from his Olympic performances – will be fit and ready to play, since Tamada and Kennedy are both still very doubtful. Nagai thrives on being set up by players around him – will Nagoya have anyone to partner him up front?
Gamba Osaka are missing a goalkeeper and at least three defenders through injury but it is the forward line that they will be concentrating on anyway, if they are to win games, they need goals. Leandro has returned, and is scoring goals and Gamba will be confident on their unbeaten run – this is a game that they MUST get at least a draw from, but they will be hoping for a win and I think we can EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!
Ｊ１首位の座が名実ともにふさわしいサンフレッチェ。
一方のアルビレックスは、ここ５試合で２勝も、Ｊ２陥落に向けての流れを押し戻せないでいる。ブルーノロペス、平井、矢野らの攻撃陣は、ただ点が取れないだけではなく、ゴール前での自信を喪失してしまったようだ。21試合わずか15得点は最下位の札幌のレベルだが、逆に失点は、ベガルタの20、サンフレッチェの23に続く25点と、守備陣は称賛に価する。
この試合、低得点ゲームになりそうだが、勝つのはサンフレッチェ広島！