Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: AFC Champions League 2015 quarter-finalists failed to hold onto a lead for the second J.League match in succession, with Daichi Kamada’s cancelling out a first-half opener from 2009 AFC Player of the Year Yasuhito Endo as Gamba Osaka were held to a 1-1 draw with Sagan Tosu on Wednesday.
Endo opened the scoring from the penalty spot six minutes from the interval in the fourth-round fixture at the Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium as the reigning Japanese champions looked to bounce back from from last week’s disappointing home draw with Yokohama F Marinos, when Gamba let slip a two-goal lead and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
But again Gamba were unable to hold onto the lead with Kamada cancelling out the 2008 AFC Champions League MVP’s opener to pull Sagan level in the 71st minute as the duo moved up to joint-fourth in the current J.League standings with five points, one less than Gamba’s fellow ACL 2015 quarter-finalists Kashiwa Reysol, who are in Round 4 action against Vegalta Sendai on Saturday.
Gamba continue their quest for a second AFC Champions League title next month when the 2008 winners face fellow former champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the last eight of this season’s ACL.
The 2014 J.League treble winners travel to the Korea Republic for the first-leg of their quarter-final clash with the 2006 winners on August 26 before Gamba host the return fixture on September 16.
Photo: AFP