Even without ace pitcher Usami, Gamba showed that they are a "team that fights as an organization, not just as individuals" (Fukuoka), and dominated FC Tokyo from start to finish in the previous match, but the goal just seemed out of reach.
However, the offensive efforts they made during the break bore fruit in the form of 19 shots. Not only did Gamba's weapons, WELTON and Yamashita, break through on their own from the wings, but Kurokawa and Matsuda also played effectively together, showing a glimpse of Gamba's new style for the second half of the season. However, Usami reflected on his teammates' battle, saying, "Even if you look at the first half from the outside, as long as we had scored a goal, it would have been perfect."

Although they have dropped to third place, the gap in points between them and the leader Machida remains unchanged at five. However, with Hiroshima in fourth place closing in on Gamba with two points behind them, the top teams remain in a close race, and Gamba will face Kashiwa away.
The mission is clear. "Not only the match against Kashiwa, but every match from now on will be important. We can't afford to stand still any longer, so we want to win together," said Nakatani, the fighting general, in the match against his former club where he started his professional career.

With Gamba facing three days off, Kashiwa's previous match against Urawa was cancelled due to a thunderstorm just before the match, so they will be coming to Gamba in a fresh state.
"The most important thing is to be careful when the opponent comes at you with momentum in the early stages,"Head Coach. Kashiwa, who is currently in 15th place on a losing streak, will naturally come to win at home. All they need to do is move the ball cleverly without being overwhelmed by the start of Kashiwa's aggressive press.

"I don't think the opponent is a team that sticks to build-up," says Usami, but in addition to Hosoya, who made his presence felt at the Paris Olympics, Kakita, who was coached by Head Coach Poyatos during his time at Tokushima, joined the team in July. It will be important not only to shut down the distinctive attackers in the front line, but also to recover the second ball.
"The basics will be important, like fighting tenaciously, winning by running and picking up second balls," said Usami.

For Gamba to win, it will be essential that they do not fall behind in the offense and defense on the right side. Kashiwa's left-back DIEGO Jara Rodrigues has three goals and three assists, while Matheus Goncalve Savio(MATHEUS SAVIO) has seven goals and five assists. Of Kashiwa's total 30 goals, the Brazilian duo has been involved in 16 of them. "We have practiced not allowing DIEGO Jara Rodrigues to supply the ball to the side, and if that works well, it will reduce the opponent's chances," said Fukuoka, who is wary of DIEGO Jara Rodrigues and the others who were his teammates in Tokushima.
Nakatani also expressed his determination to shut down Kashiwa's playmaker, saying, "Matheus Goncalve Savio(MATHEUS SAVIO) is a player who can take control from anywhere. If he gets the ball, I want to respond calmly and properly."

While Kashiwa has a simple but powerful attack, Gamba's strength is that "we have clever players and are good at reading the game," said Head Coach Poyatos. They will keep the ball, but will also mix in simple, fast attacks to keep Kashiwa on their toes.
"We've been a bit stagnant in the last two games, so this is a good win and we're back on track," said Usami. With three points, Gamba is back on track.