Toyoda Brace Tests Cerezo Resolve

A healthy crowd of 20,000 at Nagai Stadium witnessed an absorbing contest between two contrasting styles. Montedio's more direct style saw them take a 2-1 lead by half time, but second half penalty gave the more deliberate home team a share of the points.

Grampus loanees Jun Aoyama and Yohei Toyoda had contrasting performances. Toyoda bagged his team's two goals, while Aoyama struggled to make an impression in a Cerezo midfield dominated by Germano. Yohei scored two easy goals, one a free header planted firmly in the corner on the half hour, and later pouncing on a loose ball after a good save from Aizawa had denied strike partner Hasegawa just before half time. Overall, the Olympic striker worked hard but his control still lets him down during occasionally, which explains why he has only made a dozen or so appearances for Yamagata this season. It will be interesting to see what happens at the end of the season when his loan period comes to an end. Will he choose to stay in Yamagata or take his chances and fight for place at Nagoya?