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By Jeremy Walker
TOKYO (August 5)--Cerezo Osaka failed to show up for their
own party at the end of the J.League's first stage in May. And
now they are making their rivals pay for it in the second stage.
Cerezo should have won the first stage comfortably but slumped
to a 2-1 defeat at home to struggling Kawasaki Frontale in the
last round of games. The 43,000 fans who had flocked to the 2002
World Cup venue of Nagai Stadium on the outskirts of Osaka to
enjoy a first-stage festival left in a daze, as the unexpected
setback handed the title to the Yokohama F Marinos. Eight games
into the second stage, and Cerezo are finally making their move.
On Saturday they thrashed defending champions Jubilo Iwata
3-0 at Nagai Stadium, a week after winning 1-0 away to Kashima
to end the Antlers' six-game winning run at the start of the second
stage. Although Antlers remain top on 19 points, Cerezo moved
on to 11 and are clearly in the mood for a late run at the second-stage
title from 10th place.
Against third-placed Jubilo, Cerezo took the lead with another
spectacular goal from striker Akinori Nishizawa. He stunned France
with a right-foot volley on the run in a June friendly in Morocco,
and this time he connected with an acrobatic overhead kick following
a cross from his strike-partner, Hiroaki Morishima. Nishizawa's
goal came on 27 minutes and was the only one of the first half,
but Cerezo finished the job after the break.
In the opening minute of the half, South Korean midfielder
Yoon Jong Hwan, who is having a superb season, made it 2-0 with
a well-struck left-foot drive from the edge of the box, and compatriot
Noh Jung Yoon hit the target with a first-time effort on 70 minutes
to complete the scoring.
As Jubilo tried to get into the game, captain Masashi Nakayama
was kept out by Cerezo goalkeeper Seigo Shimokawa in a fine team
effort by Cerezo.
None of the leading sides could win on Saturday, leaving Antlers
on top with 19 points, Gamba second on 17, Jubilo third with 15
and then FC Tokyo, Kashiwa Reysol and Avispa Fukuoka all on 14.
Antlers were away to the Marinos at Tokyo's National Stadium,
and over 31,000 fans attended what could be a dress rehearsal
for the two-leg play-off in December between the winners of the
two stages.
With national coach Philippe Troussier watching from the stands,
Olympic team strikers Atsushi Yanagisawa and Tomoyuki Hirase combined
to give Kashima the lead after 63 minutes. Yanagisawa broke down
the right on a counter-attack and delayed his pass perfectly for
Hirase, who scored into an empty net.
Ten minutes later, Marinos equalised when Brazilian Edmilson
scored in a goalmouth scramble. Marinos then lost national team
goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi with a thigh strain, but his deputy
Tatsuya Enomoto recovered from a shaky start to keep Antlers at
bay.
With the score 1-1 after 90 minutes, the 30 minutes of extra
time were played in monsoon conditions, thundering and lightning
as a tropical summer storm hit the capital.
Second-placed Gamba could not take advantage of Antlers' failure
to win, and lost 2-1 away to Shimizu S-Pulse when substitute Daisuke
Ichikawa headed home a golden goal seven minutes into sudden-death
extra time.
Fourth-placed FC Tokyo lost 2-0 at home to Kashiwa Reysol,
for whom playmaker Harutaka Ohno laid on the first for Hideaki
Kitajima and scored the second himself, and Avispa beat Nagoya
Grampus Eight 3-2 after Grampus missed a string of chances created
by Dragan Stojkovic.
At the bottom, Kawasaki Frontale beat Vissel Kobe 2-1 at home
to move on to 15 points for the two stages, four adrift of Kyoto
Purple Sanga, who collected another three valuable points with
a 3-1 victory at home to Sanfrecce.
Purple Sanga now have 19 points and are only four behind JEF
United in the "safe" 14th spot on 23 points after JEF crumbled
4-1 at home to Verdy Kawasaki. The bottom two go down when the
points are combined from the two stages.
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