Vissel Kobe’s charge to a maiden J.League 1 title was hampered on Saturday after a 2-0 defeat away at the Hiroshima Big Arch at the hands of Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
2nd placed Yokohama F. Marinos’ 1-1 draw with Sagan Tosu on Friday meant that Vissel had to win at Hiroshima in order to pull away from the defending champions, however first half goals from Takaaki Shichi and Mutsuki Kato meant that only one point separated Vissel and Yokohama.
To make things even more painful for Vissel, the men from Hyogo Prefecture were dominant in the encounter with 60% of possession, however they were unable to create any meaningful chances as they could only muster one shot on target against a Sanfrecce side who were devastating with their counterattacks.
In the seventh minute, Michael Skibbe’s Sanfrecce took the lead as Shuto Nakano delivered a cross from the right side that traveled through the box to Shichi. He skillfully brought the ball under control using his chest and then confidently struck it into the net with his left foot. This marked the 29-year-old left back’s first goal since joining the team from Avispa Fukuoka earlier in the year.
In the 30th minute, another ball was delivered into the penalty area from the right side, resulting in Sanfrecce’s second goal. Makoto Mitsuta executed a skillful diagonal pass, which Kato expertly directed with a nod beyond Daiya Maekawa in the Vissel goal.
Former Manchester United, Chelsea, and Valencia star Juan Mata made his debut in the J. League for Vissel when he came off the bench in the 80th minute. This move was part of manager Takayuki Yoshida’s late effort to reduce the deficit.
Despite his illustrious career, the 35-year-old Spanish playmaker had limited impact on the game. Goalkeeper Keisuke Osako and the Sanfrecce defense confidently managed the remaining minutes, securing their third consecutive clean sheet.