J.League Matchday 22 – August 18th – Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka

Gamba Osaka went into this tough away game at Nagoya on an unbeaten J1 run of three games – a great improvement on what had gone before – and knowing that a win, and results going well elsewhere, would go a long way to seeing them edge toward safety from relegation. The team were confident, and the fans were boisterous, but who could have predicted this result?!

Gamba had the better of the opening exchanges including Sato forcing a fine save from Narazaki in the Nagoya goal when the Gamba fans were already on their feet celebrating!

But it was heading toward half time when the breakthrough finally came. An Endo corner was headed point blank at the keeper by a defender. Narazaki made the snap save, but the ball fell to Leandro who, in classic poacher mode, controlled, and blasted home from close range with his left foot to open the scoring in the 38th minute. It was soon 2-0 – and the home team were down to ten men – from an Endo penalty kick, after Masukawa had made a hash of controlling the ball, lost out to Sato, the Gamba forward advancing into the area and being brought down by the Grampus defender. Masukawa took an early bath, Endo doubled the score from the spot.

Leandro just missed adding to the score as half time approached, his 20 yard strike coming back off the bar with the keeper beaten. But the score was increased in the 68th minute, a short Endo corner was returned to the influential no.7 and his deep cross found Konno at the far post to head home – his first J.league goal for Gamba – and it was 3-0, Gamba cruising, and, moments later, it was 4-0 – a low, hard Futagawa cross deftly flicked past the helpless keeper by Sato to take his goal tally for the season to 10.

Yet it was not over for Nagoya, who must have been hoping for a final whistle sooner rather than later and Paulinho, on as a substitute minutes before, rounded out the scoring with another close-up finish from a low cross as Gamba ran rampant on the wings. Nagoya Grampus 0-5 Gamba Osaka and Gamba made it two wins, two draws in their last four games as the journey to mid-table consolidation, or beyond, continued apace.

More importantly, perhaps, for the Gamba defence was that clean sheet. After dropping points against the likes of Urawa Reds and Sagan Tosu, while dominating those home games for long periods, perhaps the winning mentality has finally returned. Not a moment too soon! Gamba moved to within two points of Ardija (who won) and Cerezo (who lost), and above Albirex. Bring on Consadole Sapporo next week!

Gamba Osaka – Fujigaya, Iwashita, Niwa, Konno, Fujiharu, Myojin, Endo (Omori, 81), Futagawa (Takei, 71), Kurata, Sato, Leandro (Paulinho, 71)