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!