NEWS

2022.8.13

Gamba Osaka 1-2 Cerezo Osaka

Gamba manager Tomohiro Katanosaka chose a three-man back line for the Osaka Derby, with Shota Fukuoka starting alongside Genta Miura and Kwon Kyung-won, while further upfield we saw Musashi Suzuki and Hideki Ishige supported by Jiro Nakamura as Gamba looked for three points to lessen any relegation worries.

The game began well for the home team, in the ascendency, and Kwon Kyung-won hit the bar with a header from a corner in the 16th minute - a preface for what was to come a moment later - as he headed home the next corner with ease to give Gamba a well-deserved lead. Cerezo began to get more into the game as half time approached, as Hiroto Yamada headed wide and then two Mutsuki Kato headers in quick succession forced saves from Masaaki Higashiguchi to keep his team 1-0 ahead at the break.

The 2nd half began end-to-end as both teams looked for goals but it was the away side who got the break when Yamada found himself onside behind the defence somehow, and slotted home to level the game. 1-1, 52 minutes.

Ryotaro Meshino made an appearance soon after Cerezo's goal and he was soon coming close to renewing Gamba's lead, with a shot across the goalkeeper that just fizzed wide of the far post. Just as it seemed Gamba were keeping a point from this game, with a minute to go in the 90, Jean Patric advanced from his own half. Having already stopped two Gamba attacks illegally himself (with no cards shown, surprisingly) the home team had learned nothing from him, and allowed him a free run for 50 yards unchallenged before he curled a sublime 25-yarder into the top corner to give his team the points and bragging rights in the latest Osaka Derby.

Team - Higashiguchi, Fukuoka, Miura, Kwon (Takao, 83), Dawhan, Saito, Onose, Kurokawa (Fujiharu, 83), Nakamura (Meshino, 54), Ishige (Kurata, 60), Suzuki (Sakamoto, 60)

SCORER: KWON Kyung-won 17'

Attendance; 22,531