Weekend Round-Up

Gamba eliminated from YBC Levain Cup on away goals

Gamba entered the second-leg of their YBC Levain Cup semi-final against Hokkaido Consadole holding just a slender 2-1 lead from the first game in Osaka. Kim Min-tae’s late goal for Consadole looked like it may be crucial and so it proved.

Both teams had chances in a goalless first half with Ademilson threatening for Gamba and Fukumori hitting the base of the post with a free-kick from just outside the area for Sapporo. Gamba were dealt a cruel blow in the 34th minute when Takashi Usami was forced to leave the field injured, he was replaced by Patric.

Consadole started the second half stronger, but it was Gamba who had the first big chance of the half, however Ademilson was once again unable to convert, hitting his shot straight at Takanori Sugeno in the opposition goal and firing the rebound wide. It would prove to be a costly miss as in the 76th minute Sapporo broke upfield and a fierce shot from Japanese international forward Musashi Suzuki flew past Masaaki Higashiguchi in the Gamba goal. It was a goal worthy of winning any game and it proved to be the decisive one in this tie.

Gamba threw on Markel Susaeta for Shinya Yajima in midfield and replaced the wasteful Ademilson with the taller Kazuma Watanabe for a final push towards an equalising goal. It was not to be as despite forcing 3 corners inside injury time, they were unable to convert and Consadole advanced to their first ever national final on away goals where they will play Kawasaki Frontale who saw off Kashima Antlers 3-1 on aggregate.

Information:

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1-0 Gamba Osaka
Musashi Suzuki (76)
Assist: Jay
Attendance: 15,996 (in Sapporo Dome)
Temperature/Humidity: 23.6C / 50%

Sapporo: (3-4-2-1) Sugeno; Shindo, Kim, Fukumori; Shirai (Lucas Fernandes 59′), Fukai (Kaneko 85′), Miyazawa, Suga (Ishikawa 89′); Suzuki, Arano; Jay.
Unused Subs: Awaka, Nakano, Hayasaka, Iwasaki.
Yellow Cards: Sugeno (90′)

Gamba: (3-5-2) Higashiguchi; Takao, Miura, Suganuma; Onose, Fukuda; Yajima (Susaeta 79′), Ideguchi, Kurata; Ademilson (Watanabe 85′), Usami (Patric 34′).
Unused Subs: Hayashi, Aoyama, Fujiharu, Endo.
Yellow Cards: None

Stats
Sapporo Gamba
Shots: 13 16
Corners: 5 11
Free Kicks: 5 8

Gamba U23 snap 4 game losing run with 2-2 draw away to Gainare Tottori

A first half own-goal and a second half strike by David Concha, his first in Japan were enough to earn Gamba U23 a battling 2-2 draw and move them up to 12th in the overall standings.

Gamba U23 took the opportunity to field 3 overage players in this game with debutants Yuto Suzuki and Daisuke Takagi joining goalkeeper Ken Tajiri in the starting line-up. There was also a start for fan-favourite Leo Takae who seems to be out of the picture with the J1 side at the moment.

A defensive blunder gifted Gamba U23 the lead in the 29th minute, but goals by Naoya Uozato and Masamichi Hayashi either side of half-time gave the home side a slender lead going into the final 10 minutes. However just as they did the previous week against Toyama, Gamba U23 responded with a goal of their own through Spanish forward Concha with assist king Shuhei Kawasaki providing the cross. Gamba U23 pressed for the winner but were unable to find one and had to settle for a draw. Their next match is away to 13th place Kamatamare Sanuki at 13:00 (JST) on October 20th.

Information:

Gainare Tottori 2-2 Gamba Osaka U23
Naoya Uozato (35) Own goal (29′)
Masamichi Hayashi (78′) David Concha (83′)
Attendance: 1,850 (at The Tottori Bank Bird Stadium)
Temperature/Humidity: 21.4C / 45%

Tottori: (3-4-3) Kitano; Ikegaya, Inoue, Takahata; Uematsu, Kani (Yuri 87′), Fukumura, Uozato; Vitor Gabriel (Oya 58′), Hayashi, Misawa (Fernandinho 73′).
Unused Subs: Inoue, Ishii, Hoshino, Suzuki.
Yellow Cards: None

Gamba U23: (4-2-3-1) Tajiri; Suzuki, Okuno, Matsuda, Yamaguchi; Shibamoto, Takae (Ise 71′); Takagi (Nakamura 83′), Concha, Kawasaki; Shirai (Tsukamoto 81′).
Unused Subs: Wang, Toma.
Yellow Cards: None

Stats
Tottori Gamba U23
Shots: 8 6
Corners: 3 1
Free Kicks: 7 8