By Pearse McLaughlin
Sanfrecce Hiroshima kick-off the new J-League 1 season at their new stadium, Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima with a comfortable 2-0 over Urawa Red Diamonds. It was a debut to remember for Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s new superstar in Yuki Ohashi as he scored a brace to kickstart their campaign off with a bang.
Michael Skibbe has gone with his tried and trusted 3-4-2-1 formation in the opening game of the J-League 1 season here at the brand spanking new stadium, Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima. The surprise exclusion from the match day squad is the small diminutive Marcos Junior who was one of the standout players at the back end of last season following his transfer from Yokohama F. Marinos halfway during the 2023 J-League 1 campaign. Although there is a first start for new signing Yuki Ohashi in attacking midfield following his transfer from Shonan Bellmare.
New Urawa Red Diamonds boss, Per-Mathias Hogmo replaces Maciej Skorza in the dugout for the 2024 J-League 1 season. For his first match in charge Hogmo has gone with the 4-1-2-3 formation. This is a slight variation to what the Urawa players are used just a slightly more defensive approach with new summer signing Samuel Gustafson coming straight into the starting XI as a holding midfielder and fellow new signing Thiago Santana leads the line. The surprise exclusion from the match day squad is the loan signing of Ola Solbakken from Serie A giants AS Roma who will have to wait for a bit longer for his debut.
First meaningful chance of the game came in the 6th minute as it falls the way of the visitors as Yoshio Koizumi forces a tremendous save from Keisuke Osako. Ryoma Watanabe managed to flick the ball through to Yoshio Koizumi who did brilliantly to shift the ball onto his stronger left foot, evading the challenge of Hayato Araki inside the box, before unleashing a powerful drive that was destined for the top right hand corner but Keisuke Osako was equal to it with a fine stop.
Against the run of play Urawa Red Diamonds nearly hit Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a sucker punch on the 25th minute as Keisuke Osako makes another impressive stop to deny Takahiro Sekine this time. It was great wing play by Yusuke Matsuo who burst past his man down the left hand side before firing in a low cross at the near post which Takahiro Sekine was the first to meet and flick the ball cleverly with the outside of his right boot but Keisuke Osako was positioned expertly and smothered the ball.
Just a few minutes later, Sanfrecce Hiroshima have an appeal for a penalty waved away after Hayato Araki’s shot inside the crowded penalty was smashed towards goal but struck Alexander Scholz on the arm which was tucked in at his side. The correct call by the referee and the VAR officials.
An historic goal scored on his debut for Yuki Ohashi as he scores not only the first goal at the brand new Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima Stadium but also the first goal of the 2024 J-League 1 season. The breakthrough came on the 46th minute as Yuki Ohashi smashes in the rebound off the under side of the crossbar and into the back of the net following Takumu Kawamura’s speculative shot from distance which Shusaku Nishikawa made a meal of. An emphatic finish by the new boy, Yuki Ohashi as he gets off to the perfect start as Sanfrecce Hiroshima lead 1-0.
The Homeside lead 1-0 going in at the break following Yuki Ohashi’s first goal for the club since his transfer from Shonan Bellmare as we also witness the first goal of the Japanese League season. It has been an evenly contested affair so far with Sanfrecce Hiroshima dominating the bulk of possesion and finished the half strong scoring the opener and threatened to add to it further. In terms of Urawa Red Diamonds new look side under new boss Per-Mathias Hogmo we seen a side that’s a bit more pragmatic with the look to catch Sanfrecce Hiroshima on the counter attack and have caused the Homeside some problems early on as Keisuke Osako had to make a couple of top drawer saves to keep the scores level early on. I’m expecting more of the same in the second half as both sides will try to get a positive result to start the campaign off on a positive footing but it is Urawa Red Diamonds who have it all to do in the second half as they trail by a goal to nil.
Great chance at the start of the second half from Urawa Red Diamonds on the 51st minute as new boy Samuel Gustafson arrives late into the box and slides an effort towards goal but their wasn’t enough conviction in his effort as in the ned it was a comfortable save by Keisuke Osako.
On the 53rd minute and Yuki Ohashi is fouled inside the box as he is wiped out by Yoshio Koizumi. Easy decision by the referee as VAR quickly confirmed the decision. New boy Yuki Ohashi wanted to take the penalty as he won it but Pieros Sotiriou wrestled the ball off Ohashi and managed to put his penalty wide of the left hand post. A shocking miss considering he demanded to take the penalty. It somehow remains 1-0.
A mere two minutes later, Sanfrecce Hiroshima now double their lead from their new superstar Yuki Ohashi as he heads Sanfrecce Hiroshima into a 2-0 lead. A fabulous ball into the box from the left hand side from Matsuki Kato but you’ve got to look at the movement of Yuki Ohashi as he goes from left to right before knocking in front of Marius Hoibraten to glance a header beyond Shusaku Nishikawa and into the bottom left hand corner. What a debut Yuki Ohashi is having. Sanfrecce Hiroshima lead 2-0.
Yuki Ohashi thought he had the match ball secured on the 57th minute but for the heroics of Shusaku Nishikawa to deny him from close range as he poked an effort towards goal and somehow sprung up to deny Pieros Sotiriou on the rebound. It remains 2-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Sanfrecce Hiroshima have really started to turn the screw here as they look to put the game out of sight.
Urawa Red Diamonds are pushing for a way back into the game on the 81st minute as Hiroki Sakai makes a terrific run into the box and meets Naoki Maeda’s ball into the box but his glancing header from the penalty spot goes just wide of the left hand post with Keisuke Osako left rooted to the spot. Better play from the away side.
On the 89th minute Sanfrecce Hiroshima caught Urawa Red Diamonds on the break and substitute Douglas Vieira shapes a lovely curling effort towards the bottom right hand corner but Shusaku Nishikawa produces a terrific one handed save to keep the scores at two nil. Phenomenal save.
It’s all over here at the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima Stadium as Sanfrecce Hiroshima ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over Urawa Red Diamonds thanks to Yuki Ohashi’s debut double in the opening day of the 2024 J-League 1 season.
Next up for Sanfrecce Hiroshima is a trip away to the capital to face FC Tokyo on Saturday the 2nd of March with the match set for a 3pm kick-off time(JST). They’ll in confident spirits after today’s result and will looking to make it two wins from two at the start of the season.
Next up for Urawa Red Diamonds is a home tie against newly promoted side Tokyo Verdy on Sunday the 3rd of March and the kick-off time is set at 4pm(JST). They are still searching for their first goal and win of the season under the new guidance of Per-Mathias Hogmo. He’ll be hoping for a much improved performance and result on Matchday two.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima: Keisuke Osako, Tsukasa Shiotani, Hayato Araki, Sho Sasaki, Shuto Nakano, Makoto Mitsuta, Takumu Kawamura (Taichi Yamasaki 90+2’), Shunki Higashi, Mutsuki Kato (Taishi Matsumoto 82’), Yuki Ohashi, Pieros Sotiriou (Douglas Vieira 73’). Subs not used: Goro Kawanami, Gakuto Notsuda, Ezequiel, Motoki Ohara.
Urawa Red Diamonds: Shusaku Nishikawa, Hiroki Sakai, Alexander Scholz, Marius Hoibraten, Ryoma Watanabe (Ayumu Ohata 76’), Samuel Gustafson, Atsuki Ito (Ken Iwao 67’), Yoshio Koizumi, Yusuke Matsuo (Shoya Nakajima 82’), Thiago Santana (Shinzo Koroki 76’), Takahiro Sekine (Naoki Maeda 67’). Subs not used: Ayumi Niekawa, Yota Sato.
Referee: Futoshi Nakamura
Reporter: Pearse McLaughlin
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