NEWS

2022.5.9

Gamba Osaka 2-0 Oita Trinita

In the Levain Cup group stage, Hiroki Fujiharu announced his return from injury with a goal, and Yota Sato added the other as defenders took Gamba to a 2-0 victory over Oita Trinita.

It was Sato, in fact who arrowed a long ball across the field to find Fujiharu sprinting down the left channel. A mis-controlled first touch from the defender, and the Gamba speedster pounced on the loose ball and fired it past the helpless 'keeper to give his team a 13th minute lead. Fujiharu continued to be a thorn in the side of the Trinita defence, combining with Yuya Fukuda on the left to create space and chances for his teammates, another seeing Fukuda's low cut back from the goal line met with a shot and save, and the resulting second ball headed just wide by Hideki Ishige as Gamba looked to add another goal to the tally Ishige also had another chance to score as he sprinted on to a perfect long ball and, as the goalkeeper came out, the Gamba player lobbed him, but saw the ball drop just wide of the post. Half time 1-0.

Sato did eventually double Gamba's lead, getting on the end of a far post Yuki Yamamoto free kick to head home to make it 2-0 to the home team just before the hour came up. Next up came Leandro Pereira, in as a 2nd half substitute, who came within inches of scoring from the half way line after he spotted the goalkeeper off his line and launched a missile that dropped inches wide of the 'keeper's left-hand post as he watched helplessly.

Gamba limited their visitors to a couple of long range shots that gave Kei Ishikawa no problems in the Gamba goal, and the final score did not reflect the home team's dominance, but brought three points to a second string Gamba.

Team - Ishikawa, Sato, Fukuoka, Kwon, Yanagisawa, Yamamoto (Nakamura, 88), Okuno, Fujiharu, Ishige (Leandro Pereira, 46), Fukuda, Sakamoto (Ju, 68)

Scorers:
Hiroki FUJIHARU 13'
Yota SATO 58'

Attendance: 4413