Team News – Gamba Osaka – MF Kurata is suspended. FW Sato is out for at least six months with cruciate ligament injury.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MF Notsuda will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty.

Head to Head – 12 wins for Gamba, five for Sanfrecce and four draws over the last decade.

Match Preview – Gamba took a big away win at Frontale last week, and added it to big away wins over the likes of Reds and Grampus BUT they seem to struggle more at home. With five games to go the away days may be easier on the players, with less fans on their backs if things go wrong? An early goal will settle the fans – if it’s for Gamba! otherwise, expect a tough time … and, let’s face it, even if Gamba score early, they won’t keep a clean sheet, will they? This will not be a 1-0 win! Gamba suffered a blow when they lost FW Sato to a knee injury until well into 2013, but Ienaga stepped up with two goals last weekend and looks to be settling in nicely, finally.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima have suffered the curse of the top team more than once this season. It struck again last week, the team going down to a last-gasp winner for Reysol, at home and will be looking to make amends and stay clear of Vegalta Sendai, albeit on goal difference only, if both teams win this time around. We are looking at the two biggest scorers in J1 (Gamba with 57, trump Sanfrecce’s 54) so I believe we can EXPECT a HIGH-SCORING DRAW today!