Gamba Osaka returned home from the capital with a well deserved three points after a Takashi Usami strike sealed the game in wet conditions, on a field that suited the hosts' attempts to stop Gamba playing their fluid passing game. Nevertheless, the away team found ways to negate the effects of a field that saw the ball stop in water often. As early as the third minute some ball juggling in midfield by Shu Kurata, to keep it off the ground, and then the volleyed long pass to the left wing saw Yuya Fukuda take control, beat a man and send in a wicked, inswinging cross that Ademilson headed just wide.
Patric was next to have a pop, sending a 20-yard drive just over the bar after good work from Usami created space on the edge of the area. The breakthrough eventually came in the form of an Ademilson penalty kick, when Hirotaka Mita handled the ball, and Gamba's plucky Brazilian converted with aplomb. 1-0 at half time.
Gamba came out looking for more goals, as is their way - no chance of actually sitting on a lead in this team - and Usami flicked on a near post Ademilson cross in the first minute of the 2nd half, but the 'keeper was down on it to smother the chance, then, just after the hour mark Ademilson created his own space on the left channel to shoot but the shot was deflected for one of numerous Gamba corners.
In the 69th minute, with Gamba running the show, Leandro lost patience and swung a left hook into the face of Yuki Yamamoto. The officials apparently did not see the incident, but the J.League later banned the offender for three matches, for this and a later elbow into the face of Kim Young-gwon.
Late substitute Kiichi Yajima came closest for the home team, with a shot on the turn in additional time that, if it had gone in would have been very unjust, but Masaaki Higashiguchi in the Gamba goal was equal to it, an the points were confirmed!
Team - Higashiguchi, Takao, Shoji, Kim, Fukuda, Yamamoto, Ideguchi, Kurata, Ademilson (Onose, 75), Patric, Usami (Watanabe, 75)
Goal - ADEMILSON 41'
Patric was next to have a pop, sending a 20-yard drive just over the bar after good work from Usami created space on the edge of the area. The breakthrough eventually came in the form of an Ademilson penalty kick, when Hirotaka Mita handled the ball, and Gamba's plucky Brazilian converted with aplomb. 1-0 at half time.
Gamba came out looking for more goals, as is their way - no chance of actually sitting on a lead in this team - and Usami flicked on a near post Ademilson cross in the first minute of the 2nd half, but the 'keeper was down on it to smother the chance, then, just after the hour mark Ademilson created his own space on the left channel to shoot but the shot was deflected for one of numerous Gamba corners.
In the 69th minute, with Gamba running the show, Leandro lost patience and swung a left hook into the face of Yuki Yamamoto. The officials apparently did not see the incident, but the J.League later banned the offender for three matches, for this and a later elbow into the face of Kim Young-gwon.
Late substitute Kiichi Yajima came closest for the home team, with a shot on the turn in additional time that, if it had gone in would have been very unjust, but Masaaki Higashiguchi in the Gamba goal was equal to it, an the points were confirmed!
Team - Higashiguchi, Takao, Shoji, Kim, Fukuda, Yamamoto, Ideguchi, Kurata, Ademilson (Onose, 75), Patric, Usami (Watanabe, 75)
Goal - ADEMILSON 41'