KAWASAKI -- Verdy Kawasaki advanced to the quarterfinals of the Nabisco Cup after beating J. League first-stage sensation Cerezo Osaka 2-0 on aggregate Wednesday night. Verdy will next meet cross-town rival Kawasaki Frontale on Aug. 30 and Sept. 6. Frontale held off defending champion Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 on aggregate.
Verdy, which had a 1-0 win away in Osaka in the first leg of the second round, downed Cerezo 1-0 at Kawasaki's Todoroki Stadium. Cerezo defender Daisuke Saito's poor corner-kick clearance found the net for Verdy in the 51st minute. Cerezo suffered a big blow even before the first whistle as midfielder Yoon Jong Hwan missed the game with a fever.
The visitors had 18 shots to Verdy's seven but, without the South Korean international, Cerezo lacked options on offense. Cerezo has lost its last three games.