Gamba came into this game at Sapporo Dome continuing to give their younger players some time, with Hiroto Yamami starting and Jiro Nakamura and Harumi Minamino on the bench. Getting over multiple injuries the team also included Ryu Takao, Hiroki Fujiharu and Gen Shoji in a back four, all of who have been missed too much this season.

Patric spear-headed the attack in this game and was in action within 90 seconds, a glancing header going just wide from a right wing cross while, at the other end, veteran Shinzo Koroki was denied from close range by Masaaki Higashiguchi in the away goal.

The next chance for Gamba fell the way of Hideki Ishige who latched on to a superb first-touch ball over the defence from Yamami, but his left foot shot across the 'keeper was weak and easy to gather. Both teams were looking for goals and an open game saw continued chances at both ends but the goalkeepers equal to the task, Higashiguchi making a double save at the clock ticked over the half hour mark, then denied Gabriel Xavier down low to his right five minutes later to ensure the game went in at half time goalless.

Soon after the break, however, Gamba finally gave away a goal - quite literally - allowing Yoshiaki Komai to waltz through the midfield without a challenge and then slip the ball out to the right before allowing the same player to drift into the box unmarked to head the ball home. Kohei Okuno's lack of any challenge and then allowing his player space for a free header will haunt him for weeks.

Gamba continued to have plenty of possession but no end product - where have we heard that before? - and the game ended with just a single goal, and Gamba going home with nothing to their name.

Team - Higashiguchi, Takao, Miura, Shoji, Fujiharu, Kurata, Okuno (Saito, 68), Dawhan, Yamami (Wellington Silva, 84), Ishige (Nakamura, 46), Patric