Match Report
The table gap was wide: 24 points between Kashima Antlers (1st, 76 pts) and Cerezo Osaka (10th, 52 pts). Recent form flatters Cerezo Osaka's table spot — 5th league-wide over the last five rounds while sitting 10th. Per game in the league, Kashima Antlers were scoring 1.53 and conceding 0.82, Cerezo Osaka 1.58 and 1.5, against a competition average of 1.2 goals per team per game.
9 previous meetings sit in the GioScore records — Kashima Antlers 5, draws 2, Cerezo Osaka 2, at 2.56 goals per meeting. Home advantage has meant little here: 22% of the meetings went to the host.
The match was played at Kashima Soccer Stadium (capacity 40,728). On the scoreboard, it was 1-1 at the break; 2 second-half goals set the final 3-1.
Goal scorers
Kashima Antlers: K. Chinen (31'), Léo Ceará (53'), Yuta Matsumura (68') · Cerezo Osaka: Vitor Bueno (28')
Key stats
Possession: Kashima Antlers 47% · Cerezo Osaka 53% · Total shots: 15-10 · On target: 7-4 · Corners: 1-3