Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-3 Gamba Osaka
http://www.gamba-osaka.net/en/news/no/2399/
Goalscorers – Sanfrecce – Sato: 20 (PK), 35 / Gamba – Patric: 39, 54, Omori: 71
On Saturday 8th November, Saitama Stadium – the home of Urawa Reds – was the venue for the J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Final between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Gamba Osaka. It was a pulsating contest, with classy football played by both teams – rare was it to see a long pass, and never an aimless one! After going two goals down, Gamba stormed back to take the trophy with a 3-2 scoreline.
An interesting selection by team boss Kenta Hasegawa saw Tomokazu Myojin selected as the key defensive midfielder, with Yasuyuki Konno on the left of a midfield diamond, Yasuhito Endo at the top, and Hiroyuki Abe completing the central four.
Sanfrecce went ahead in the 20th minute on a dubious penalty decision when referee Mr. Nishimura judged Keisuke Iwashita to have handled in the area. Hisato Sato barely converted the penalty kick – Masaaki Higashiguchi in the Gamba goal getting a firm hand to the ball before it made its way in at the post.
In the 35th minute, Sato made it two goals for him – extending his record number of goals in this competition to 28, one more than Masashi Nakayama and Juninho who had held the record before this match – and two goals for Sanfrecce, after a little pinball in the area, the predatory forward doing what he does best – stabbing home from close range.
Minutes later the Gamba comeback commenced, with Patric heading home a Yasuhito Endo cross to make it 2-1 to the boys in purple at half time.
With Gamba looking to be on top Hasegawa juggled the formation at half time, with Kotaro Omori replacing Myojin for the second half. Konno moved into the central defensive position and Omori played as an attacking force, and how well that turned out!
With the changes in position, Gamba came out with all guns blazing in the second period and were level in the 54th minute. Patric again, this time from a Takashi Usami cross. By this time Takutp Hayashi in the Sanfrecce goal had already been forced into making two fine saves from Patric and Hiroyuki Abe but could do nothing to prevent the Brazilian no.29 scoring his second.
Patric could have had his hat trick in the 66th minute as Kotaro Omori and Usami combined on the left to find space for the latter to send in a low cross that Patric slid in to connect with. The ball went over the bar from two yards out!
Gamba did finally go ahead for good when Hayashi was again forced into action to parry a superb shot from Abe – who was in fine form – only to see Omori following in to head home the winner.
So, Gamba win in Saitama… and their fans will be hoping for another win at the same stadium when J1 play returns – away to Urawa Reds in the all-important matchday 32! Don’t miss it!