Kyoto Sanga vs Cerezo Osaka

Sanga Stadium by Kyocer is the venue as Kyoto Sanga and Cerezo Osaka go head-to-head in the YBC Levain Cup round of 16.

Kyoto have steadied the ship after back-to-back high-scoring defeats to both Osaka clubs in late April/early May, going unbeaten in their last three outings (W2, D1). Showing defensive resilience has been key to their form resurgence, with ‘Sanga’ conceding under 1.5 goals on each occasion, including a 3-0 demolition of former champions Yokohama F. Marinos over the weekend. That victory marked Kyoto’s first clean sheet since the beginning of April, ending a dreadful run of eight successive games without a shutout. Still, they’ve failed to keep their opposition at bay in their last three matches in Kameoka, with two featuring over 2.5 goals, highlighting the potential for an action-packed contest. Against this backdrop, only two of their five most recent H2Hs here have produced 3+ goals.

In the meantime, a 2-0 defeat at Kawasaki Frontale in the build-up to this road trip knocked Cerezo Osaka down from a three-game winning streak, putting them at risk of losing back-to-back games for the first time since the end of April. This fixture could go either way, not least because Cerezo’s last four away matches have seen them win or lose (W2, L2), with three seeing the winner on the day score multiple goals. Connoisseurs of a quick-fire start may not want to hold their breath, considering just one of those four outings featured the opening goal inside the first 30 minutes of play, underscoring the potential for a cagey opener.