Gamba Osaka welcomed perennial rivals Kashima Antlers to Panasonic Stadium Suita fielding a team that saw seven of the starting XI graduates of the Gamba youth system, with another four on the bench - 11 of the 18 members of the squad being home-produced. The future of Gamba Osaka continues to be bright, as the likes of Ritsu Doan, Ryotaro Meshino and Keito Nakamura are replaced by even more up-and-coming stars in the squad.
Today, also, we again saw what a well-drilled team Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has playing under him, with a defence that was, once again able to be three, or four, or five fold, whatever the circumstances needed. Genta Miura was still out injured - captain and centre back was not missed at all, highlighting again the superb squad at Gamba.
Early play saw both teams create space and half chances but the 13th minute gave Takashi Usami the chance to open the scoring after superb passing between Yosuke Ideguchi and Shu Kurata, but the goalkeeper was down low to his right for a brilliant save.
The second quarter of the game before half time saw the away team start to create more up front but were unable to finish and, when the Gamba defence switched off for a spilt-second and lost the ball to Leo Silva, the eventual shot from Everaldo, that should have punished the home defence was way off target and the game remained scoreless at half time.
Gamba came out looking for goals in the 2nd half and Patric was denied once after a smart passing move and then got his chance as he was sent through by a pass over the top from the right wing. As he rounded the 'keeper he was brought down and the PK he had earned was blasted into next week to give Gamba a 1-0 lead. The lead was doubled by 80th-minute substitute Kazuma Watanabe in added time after 88th-minute substitute Shinya Yajima regained possession on the half way line. He slipped the ball forward to 80th-minute substitute Ademilson who beat his defender despite that defender trying to wrestle him to the ground. His pass inside to Watanabe was literally caressed into the far corner of the goal to clinch the three points for Gamba and show how well manager Miyamoto uses his substitutes, his whole squad being part of a win once again.
Team - Higashiguchi, Takao, Shoji, Kim, Onose (Fukuda, 88), Fujiharu, Yamamoto, Ideguchi, Kurata (Yajima, 88), Patric (Ademilson, 80), Usami (Watanabe, 80)
Scorers:
PATRIC 88'
Kazuma WATANABE 90+3
Attendance - 9,313
Today, also, we again saw what a well-drilled team Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has playing under him, with a defence that was, once again able to be three, or four, or five fold, whatever the circumstances needed. Genta Miura was still out injured - captain and centre back was not missed at all, highlighting again the superb squad at Gamba.
Early play saw both teams create space and half chances but the 13th minute gave Takashi Usami the chance to open the scoring after superb passing between Yosuke Ideguchi and Shu Kurata, but the goalkeeper was down low to his right for a brilliant save.
The second quarter of the game before half time saw the away team start to create more up front but were unable to finish and, when the Gamba defence switched off for a spilt-second and lost the ball to Leo Silva, the eventual shot from Everaldo, that should have punished the home defence was way off target and the game remained scoreless at half time.
Gamba came out looking for goals in the 2nd half and Patric was denied once after a smart passing move and then got his chance as he was sent through by a pass over the top from the right wing. As he rounded the 'keeper he was brought down and the PK he had earned was blasted into next week to give Gamba a 1-0 lead. The lead was doubled by 80th-minute substitute Kazuma Watanabe in added time after 88th-minute substitute Shinya Yajima regained possession on the half way line. He slipped the ball forward to 80th-minute substitute Ademilson who beat his defender despite that defender trying to wrestle him to the ground. His pass inside to Watanabe was literally caressed into the far corner of the goal to clinch the three points for Gamba and show how well manager Miyamoto uses his substitutes, his whole squad being part of a win once again.
Team - Higashiguchi, Takao, Shoji, Kim, Onose (Fukuda, 88), Fujiharu, Yamamoto, Ideguchi, Kurata (Yajima, 88), Patric (Ademilson, 80), Usami (Watanabe, 80)
Scorers:
PATRIC 88'
Kazuma WATANABE 90+3
Attendance - 9,313