The Curtain Rises on 2010
1 - 1 (5-3PK) 
The curtain rose for the 2010 season on a rare February day in Tokyo – an overcast, warm and almost “steamy” calm hung over National Stadium, with neither the chill feel of winter nor the breezy crispness of spring. It almost seemed as if the weather couldn’t make up its mind what season to deliver, and that air of uncertainty would penetrate the football action as well, on Xerox Cup weekend. The 90 minutes of action seemed far too short to produce a decision, and though the crowd received a marvelous show, in the end the winner had to be determined by that most unsuitable of climaxes, a PK shootout.
The two teams featured in this season-opening drama were identical to last season – the 2009 league title winners, Kashima Antlers, faced off against Gamba Osaka, who claimed the Emperor’s Cup back on January 1 at this same venue. Considering how often these two teams have met in recent years, under critical title-determining circumstances, it was probably no surprise that the contest was so closely matched, or that neither one could land a knockout blow. Both teams seemed to know almost exactly what to expect, but the intricate ball movement and back-and forth exchange of thrusts and parries was delightful to watch. Unfortunately, it seemed that both teams still lacked the deadly sharpness in the final 25 meters that is needed to finish off an attack against solid defending, and thus there were a large number of half-chances, but only two or three truly close calls at either end of the pitch.
Both teams have already played one competitive match this season – an ACL contest – so the general organization and lineups were no surprise. Gamba were forced to play without defenders Sota Nakazawa and Satoshi Yamaguchi, who picked up minor knocks in their Wednesday match, as well as Tomokazu Myojin who was injured a bit more seriously, and may be out for two or three weeks. However, Gamba has a great deal of depth in midfield, and play a style of football which does not place undue pressure on the back line to defend the opposing strikers one-on-one. Rookie Shynya Suganuma was forced into action alongside the experienced Kazumichi Takagi, and apart from one early blunder which conceded a penalty kick, he looked quite impressive for a kid making his first J1-level appearance.
Kashima also were missing players due to injury, most notably Masashi Motoyama, who underwent back surgery in January and will not be back until the World Cup break. This forced newcomer Fellype Gabriel to take over the dribbling and penetration duties. Though Fellype looked quite promising, and displayed some flashy runs, his inability to communicate well with the two strikers blunted the Antlers attack to a visible extent. However, his obvious speed and sleek dribbling moves will probably be a valuable addition once he gets a few games under his belt and develops communication with his teammates.
The match started off in very much the same fashion as last year’s Xerox Cup, with Gamba playing a very hard press at midfield and trying to take the match to the Antlers right away. This not only produced some half-chances over the first ten minutes, but also helped to keep the pressure off the rookie defender, until he could settle into a rhythm. But Kashima seemed to anticipate this game plan, and sat back absorbing the pressure for the opening spell. The two wingbacks, in particular, made no attempt to move down the flanks over the opening 10 or 15 minutes – a fact that conceded a lot of possession to Gamba, but ensured that the Osaka players were unable to get off any clean shots.
As the early pressure began to wane, Kashima started trying to launch quick counterattacks. But unlike last year, when quick breaks hit Gamba for two goals in the opening half, this year the balls forward were just a bit too late or off-target. The result was some exciting runs but no real danger to keeper Yosuke Fujigaya.
The first break of the contest arrived in the 20 minute, when Kashima won a free kick about 35 meters out on the right side. As Takuya Nozawa lobbed his kick in front of net, Gamba’s two central defenders got tangled up with Daiki Iwamasa and hauled him to the turf. On the replay it looked like Takagi was actually the offender, with one arm draped over Iwamasa’s shoulder, but it was the rookie Suganuma who was hit with the yellow card. Marquinhos mane no mistake with his spot kick, and Kashima had the early advantage.
This goal provided a bit of a boost to the Antlers’ momentum, and they had the majority of the chances over the remainder of the first half. But on the stroke of half time Gamba got a break of their own when – with the clock already a minute deep in injury time – Akira Kaji let loose a blind and very unlikely shot. The ball probably would have sailed wide but as it curled off Kaji’s boot it ricocheted off the side of Mitsuo Ogasawara’s head. The deflection completely fooled the keeper and the ball dropped into the top left corner to knot the score as the two teams retired to the locker room.
The second half was as closely matched as the first, with Kashima perhaps having an edge in ball control and initiative, but Gamba counterattacking well and creating a few dangerous opportunities on the break. In the end, neither side could make the necessary connections in the final third to score a winner, despite a lot of entertaining build-up work. When the final whistle sounded, the contest was still deadlocked at 1-1.
The PK shootout was a huge anticlimax after a very exciting game. On Gamba’s very first PK the usually impeccable Yasuhito Endo sent his shot whizzing over the crossbar – an event that happens about as frequently as immaculate conception. You couldn’t ask for a more obvious omen; by the time Marquinhos sank Kashima’s fifth PK the Gamba fans were already on their way out of the exits, aware that this would not be their day.
The 90 minutes of regular time, however, provided a good picture of how close the competition is likely to be this season. It certainly whet the appetite of J.League fans around the country, who are salivating at the thought of next weekend’s season opener matches. Be sure to set your bookmarks now, and follow the action all year long at the Rising Sun News and our affiliated blogs, where the RSN team of writers will provide even more stories, features and match reports than ever before.
