By Pearse McLaughlin
The biggest game of the season didn’t disappoint with current champions Yokohama F. Marinos falling to a two nil defeat against league leaders Vissel Kobe here at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. Friday night action never disappoints and what a match it was as first half goals from Yuya Osako and Yoshinori Muto give Vissel Kobe a massive three points as they edge closer to their first ever J-League 1 title.
Kevin Muscat has stuck with his tried and trusted 4-2-1-3 formation which won away last time out on Sunday the 24th of September as Yokohama F. Marinos defeated Kashima Antlers 2-1. In terms of personnel changes there have been one change as in comes Takuma Nishimura to replace Nam Tae-Hee.
Vissel Kobe boss, Takayuki Yoshida hasn’t veered away from his tactical shape as he has gone with the 4-1-2-3 formation which won 1-0 last Saturday the 23rd of September when they hosted Cerezo Osaka. In terms of personnel changes there have only made the one change as in comes Nanasei Iino to replace Haruya Ide.
First meaningful chance of the game falls to the hosts, Yokohama F. Marinos on the 7th minute as Ken Matsubara’s side footed effort from the edge of the box flashes just shy of the left-hand post. It all came about down the left-hand side with Elber who cuts in from the left-hand side and sees his shot blocked but kindly rebounds for Ken Matsubara who strikes the ball first time and sees the ball go a whisker wide of the left-hand post. Nearly the breakthrough for the champions.
Breakthrough for the visitors as Yuya Osako dispatches from the spot to give Vissel Kobe the lead on the 22nd minute. The penalty was awarded on the 20th minute after a quick VAR check by the officials as former Newcastle United striker Yoshinori Muto volleys the ball towards goal but is caught late by Yokohama F. Marinos’ captain Eduardo. The correct call by the officials and a pretty straightforward decision. Vissel Kobe’s talisman Yuya Osako assumes responsibility of the penalty kick and keeps his composure and sends Jun Ichimori the wrong way and in the process reaches a milestone 20 league goals in the J-League 1 which is his personal best and now makes him the outright top goal scorer. 1-0 Vissel Kobe.
Vissel Kobe nearly and should have doubled their lead a mere three minutes after the opener with Yoshinori Muto missing a golden opportunity from inside the six-yard-box. Gotoku Sakai’s long raking cross from right to left finds Daiju Sasaki at the back post who rises highest and heads the ball across the six-yard-box brilliantly to find Yoshinori Muto who evades his marker but plants his header off the crossbar and goes over. Absolute sitter from Muto. A majority opportunity to go two nil up. That may come back to haunt Vissel Kobe. It remains 1-0.
Vissel Kobe double their lead three minutes from the break and this time Yoshinori Muto gets his goal and atones for his earlier missed opportunity. This time he heads the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from Ryo Hatsuse’s in swinging corner from the right-hand side as he almost just uses the pace of the cross to guide his header into the bottom right-hand corner. Terrific header. Vissel Kobe lead 2-0 and look in total control.
Vissel Kobe lead two nil over Yokohama F. Marinos here at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. Yokohama F. Marinos started the game well in the opening 10/15 minutes, but a major turning point was the VAR decision to award a penalty to Vissel Kobe which was the correct call. Since that decision Vissel Kobe have showed their dominance and deserve their two-goal lead with Yuya Osako’s penalty and Yoshinori Muto’s header proves to be the difference so far. You expect a reaction from Kevin Muscat’s men if they have any chance of retaining their title as it stands, they now trail Vissel Kobe by four points with only five matches remaining after this game.
On the 65th minute Daiya Maekawa is finally called into action, and it makes a terrific stop to deny Ken Matsubara who has been a surprise danger man for Yokohama F. Marinos tonight. Ken Matsubara finds himself in space at the edge of the box and tries his luck with a terrific shot with his weaker left foot, which was destined for the bottom left-hand corner, but Daiya Maekawa gets down low and palms the ball away brilliantly. More like it from the home side.
Another great opportunity as Yokohama F. Marinos pile on the pressure as they look for a route back into the game and this time it is Yan who comes close. Yan collects the ball inside the box at the angle on the right-hand side as he faces up his man and quickly shifts the ball onto his favoured left foot which and curls the ball towards the far corner but goes millimetres wide of the left-hand post with Daiya Maekawa rooted to the spot. It remains 2-0. Yokohama F. Marinos really piling on the pressure here but Vissel Kobe standing firm.
It's all over here at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama as first half goals from J-League 1’s leading goal scorer Yuya Osako and Yoshinori Muto were enough to seal all three points for Vissel Kobe. Vissel Kobe now have a four-point lead over the champions Yokohama F. Marinos with just five games remaining as they close in on their first J-League 1 title.
The games are coming thick and fast for Yokohama F. Marinos as they travel away to China on Tuesday the 3rd of October as they play Shandong Taishan in the second group game of the AFC Champions League. Then it’s a double header of Japanese League Cup action as they host Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday the 11th of October before the return leg on Sunday the 15th of October. Yokohama F. Marinos return to league action on Saturday the 21st of October when the host Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and will be looking to get back to winning ways to keep the pressure on Vissel Kobe.
Vissel Kobe return to league action in just over three weeks’ time after the international break when they host high flying Kashima Antlers on Saturday the 21st of October. Vissel Kobe know this will be a real test, but the pressure is all on them as they are only a matter of weeks away from potentially sealing their first J-League 1 crown.
Yokohama F. Marinos: Jun Ichimori, Ken Matsubara, Ryotaro Tsunoda, Eduardo, Katsuya Nagato (Kaina Yoshio 74’), Riku Yamane, Kota Watanabe (Kota Mizunuma 81’), Takuma Nishimura (Nam Tae-Hee 68’), Yan, Anderson Lopes, Jose Elber (Ryo Miyaichi 74’). Subs not used: Asahi Uenaka, Hiroki Iikura, Yuki Saneto.
Vissel Kobe: Daiya Maekawa, Gotoku Sakai, Tetsushi Yamakawa, Yuki Honda, Ryo Hatsuse (Matheus Thuler 70’), Takahiro Ogihara (Balint Vecsei 86’), Hotaru Yamaguchi, Nanasei Iino, Yoshinori Muto, Yuya Osako (Jean Patrick 68’), Daiju Sasaki (Mizuki Arai 78’). Subs not used: Mitsuki Hidaka, Phelipe Megiolaro, Juan Mata.
Reporter: Pearse McLaughlin
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