Vissel Kobe remained without a win 10 games into the J. League season as they lost 1-0 at home to local rival Cerezo Osaka on Sunday.
Former Cerezo manager Miguel Angel Lotina took charge of Vissel for the first time, but the home side trailed at the break and their improved performance in the second half could not buy them a goal at Noevir Stadium.
The signs weren't good from the start for Kobe, with defender Gotoku Sakai needing to clear the ball off the line to deny Hiroto Yamada after two minutes. Keeper Daiya Maekawa was also called into action multiple times before Cerezo's 27th-minute winner.