Hosoya turns hero as Reysol deepen Grampus relegation fears (Kashiwa Reysol vs Nagoya Grampus analysis) | OneFootball

Kashiwa Reysol Complete Comeback Against Struggling Nagoya Grampus

Hosoya Stars as Visitors Strengthen Top-Four Position

Kashiwa Reysol came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory against Nagoya Grampus in J1 League action on Tuesday, further cementing their strong position while leaving the hosts mired in relegation trouble.

The match at Nagoya's home ground saw the struggling hosts take an early lead through Sho Inagaki after just two minutes, finishing from Tsukasa Morishima's assist. However, Kashiwa's resilience proved decisive as they turned the match around through goals from Yuto Yamada and Mao Hosoya.

Comeback Kings

Nagoya's bright start was undone when Yamada equalised in the 33rd minute, converting from a Hosoya assist. The visitors then completed their comeback five minutes after the break when Hosoya himself found the net, with Diego providing the decisive pass.

Despite having eight corners to Kashiwa's two and matching them for possession, Nagoya's finishing let them down with just two shots on target from 13 attempts.

"We started well but couldn't maintain our intensity," said Inagaki, who was Nagoya's standout performer with a goal, five tackles and solid passing throughout.

Contrasting Fortunes

The result perfectly encapsulates both teams' seasons. Ricardo Rodríguez's Kashiwa side have lost just once in 13 matches, sitting comfortably in fourth place with a record of five wins, six draws and one defeat.

Meanwhile, Kenta Hasegawa's Nagoya remain 18th and in the relegation zone, with pressure mounting on the manager whose position is reportedly protected by a substantial termination clause in his contract.

Kashiwa's Koki Kumasaka made a significant impact after being introduced at half-time, registering five tackles, a block and an interception in his 45-minute cameo.

Tactical Battle

Nagoya's 3-4-2-1 formation initially caused problems for Kashiwa's 3-1-4-2 system, but Rodríguez's half-time adjustments, including the introduction of Kumasaka, helped the visitors gain control of the midfield battle.

The match was played during Japan's national holiday, "Showa Day", contributing to a higher attendance than usual for a midweek fixture.

For Nagoya, the return of midfielder Masahito Ono in recent weeks following a lengthy absence with an ACL injury offers a rare positive note in an otherwise challenging campaign.