An early free kick saw a low inswinger from Endo cause the keeper handling problems but the first 15 minutes was basically a to-and-fro game with little penetration from either team as they felt each other out. For Gamba we saw uncharacteristically stray passes intercepted by the S-Pulse orange shirts and the home team failed to piece a move together.

A corner in the 15th minute caused problems as no-one took responsibility and the ball was free a yard out before Terada cleared from on the line. It was Terada in action at the other end moments later as Kaji fed the youngster

And then Gamba were ahead in the 20th minute, an Endo pass chested back by Sato for Takei to volley in off a defender – a stroke of luck but nothing less than Gamba’s approach play deserved as they began to piece passes and moves together. Gamba were soon further ahead as Sato ran onto a pass, tried to round the keeper and was upended for the penalty kick. Rafinha blasted the ball down the middle but the keeper got a hand to it, with the Brazilian following up to make sure at the 2nd attempt. 2-0 up and less than 30 minutes played, with Gamba actually looking confident again.

Gamba continued to put passes together and keep the ball, but still looked the old vulnerable defence at times, with a pass from Omae enough to give Franca a sniff at goal but the defence were equal to it this time and Gamba went in 2-0 at the break.

The visitors changed things for the second period, bringing on 17 year old Ishige and Shinji Ono to try and break a stubborn Gamba down but the game continued at Gamba’s pace as they knew they had two goals to give them a cushion and that S-Pulse would need to come out and leave gaps. S-Pulse continued pushing and pressing but could not take the game up a notch to break down the black and blue wall as Gamba held out and created half chances of their own, a close call coming when a long ball looked to have set Abe clear – just on for Rafinha – but the keeper was playing sweeper and cleared the ball fully 30 yards out!

As S-Pulse pushed more men forward the gaps in their cover began to get bigger and, with just less than 15 minutes to go Kurata found himself clear and one on one with the keeper, but he pulled the ball wide of the post – when it seemed easier to score – while the fans behind the goal were getting ready to celebrate! But celebrate they could a few minutes later as Sato was first on to an inswinging corner from the left wing and his header made it 3-0! Within a minute it could easily have been 4-0 as Abe advanced on to a superb though pass and, like Kurata, he managed to put it just wide as Hayashi in the S-Pulse goal advanced and prayed!

The final minute approached and Gamba could be forgiven for taking it easy but Endo sent a left wing low cross back to Abe on the edge of the area. With his back to goal, he controlled, turned and hit a half volley that the keeper scambled to get around the post for a corner.

The away team gained a dubious free kick on the edge of the area in added time which was blasted into the wall, but the ball ricocheted around the area and fell to Alex Brosque, who finished with aplomb to spoil Gamba’s clean sheet and the make the final score 3-1!

An emphatic win for Gamba Osaka then, and we were certainly seeing some of old-style Gamba at last, although from the new Gamba team! With the likes of Kurata, Terada, Abe, Sato, Fujiharu and Takei gelling as a team at last, the future is beginning to look brighter for Matsunami’s Gamba Osaka!

JSoccer.Com Featured Match

Vissel Kobe 3-1 Kashiwa Reysol
(Vissel – Nozawa 14, Ogawa 84, Tashiro 90+1 / Reysol – Sawa 41)

Kashiwa came into this game without the suspended Leandro Domingues and Hiroki Sakai, while Vissel Kobe gave a first start to Yuzo Tashiro, a return to the starting line-up to Hideo Hashimoto and a start for Tsubasa Oya to change the team around and look for a win. It would be no exaggeration to say that, after six straight losses in J1 and Nabisco Cup games today was a do or die situation for Vissel coach Masahiro Wada. Another loss and the powers-that-be in the club would install one of those coaches that they had already been sounding out, without a doubt! As it is, after this win, another 2 or 3 in the next five games is what it will take to turn this team around…. let’s see it!

The home team started well with a long Takagi free kick won by Tashiro, but Nozawa’s low cross was beaten out desperately by a defender, but it wasn’t too long before Vissel were celebrating a goal as Nozawa zipped in a perfect free kick to leave the keeper clutching at air, 1-0, 14 minutes! Is it just me or does anone else think that teams really should put defenders on the posts for free kicks from an expert like Nozawa!!

Vissel continued to look confident and create space but were caught short in the 17th minute when Sawa managed to get on to a through ball and looked to be away. He was caught by the defence as he let off his shot and Tokushige in the Vissel goal had no problem.

The home fans were now serenading their team with a rousing version of The Lambada, obviously irritating their Brazilian-influenced visitors and bench, perhaps this is what made Sawa leave in a foot as he was beaten to the ball by Tokushige on a through pass. The deliberate kick on the keeper was punished with a yellow card, thankfully, but could well have caused injury that would then influence the keeper’s actions for the rest of the game. A blatantly unfair tactic that could well have changed the game.

Just as Vissel were looking to increase their lead the away team were level when Sawa pounced on a half-cleared ball and half-volleyed home from 20 yards out and so the teams went into the break level-pegging at 1-1. Okubo needed a new shirt at half time, too, having had his run forward impeded by a defender, ripping Okubo’s shirt in the process. No foul was given or even considered by the referee!

The teams came out for an important 2nd half and, again, Vissel looked the more urgent of the teams. Okubo was set free on 49 minutes but a defender managed to track back as the forward hesitated, weighing his choices, the ball broke for Nozawa to cross to the far post where Hashimoto blasted the ball and forced a decent save from the keeper. Minutes later Nozawa bore down on the right side of the goal and, just as the crowd expected a shot he elected to square the ball back bu it was intercepted by a defender when the Vissel goalscorer would have been better off shooting.

On the hour mark Hashimoto made way for teen sensation Keijiro Ogawa, and minutes later Kitamoto replaced Takagi at centre back – giving the team more speed on the flank and more bite at the back. Vissel were now running the game but still needed that extra spark to finish a move and it came in the 84th minute when Soma advanced from way back in his own half. He pushed the ball past one player, then another and sent in a perfect cross for Ogawa to flick home first time with his right foot to give Vissel the lead with time running out. There was another goal to come, however, just to rub it in to the sad away team today, as a long, quick Tokushige clearance found Nozawa on the right wing. The midfielder took a coupl of touches on and then sent in a superb deep cross for Morioka charging in from the left. His bullet header was beaten out by the keeper but only to Tashiro, who just had to get his legs in the way to force the ball home to make the final score a very relief-inducing Vissel Kobe 3-1 Kashiwa Reysol!

Nozawa led the team speeches in front of the home fans after the game and tears were in his eyes as he explained how important his goal, and the win felt. We all know how he feels, bring on Yokohama F. Marinos and let’s make it two wins in-a-row!

VIssel Kobe – GK Tokushige DF Okui, Takagi (Kitamoto, 63), Lee, Soma MF Inoha, Hashimoto (Ogawa, 59), Oya, Nozawa FW Tashiro, Okubo (Morioka, 77)

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