Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Jeonju: Gamba Osaka coach Kenta Hasegawa hailed his side’s determined defensive display as they held Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to a goalless draw in their AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite the K League Classic champions being on top for large stretches of the game, Hasegawa’s side were able to restrict their hosts to few clear-cut chances with Jeonbuk often resorting to set-pieces from Brazilian forward Leonardo or long-range efforts.
While Lee Dong-gook and Luiz Henrique did have opportunities to break the deadlock for Jeonbuk, the stalemate sees Gamba’s unbeaten run in this year’s continental campaign stretch to seven games, four of those away from home, with the return leg between the sides set for Expo ’70 Stadium in Osaka on September 16.
Match report: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 0-0 Gamba Osaka
Choi remains optimistic as Motors stall at home
“The players did very well right up until the end. We had some dangerous moments at the end of the second half, but we kept a clean sheet which I’m pleased about,” said Hasegawa (pictured), who was without Japan defender Yasuyuki Konno through suspension for the first leg.
“At the beginning of the game, their Brazilian winger Leonardo was very dangerous and looked to cause us some problems but eventually we were able to neutralise him and also shut down the threat from their tall players at set-pieces.
“We’ll move on to the game in Osaka and do our best to reach the next stage.”
Star forward Takashi Usami had been singled out by Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee as a threat ahead of Wednesday’s tie with the 23-year-old having hit the target four times in the AFC Champions League this year including a brace in the Round of 16 against FC Seoul.
“Tactically Jeonbuk did very well in neutralising Usami in the first half, Choi Chul-soon is normally a right back so to see him in defensive midfield was a surprise and he did a good job on Usami in the first half by not allowing him to play his game,” added Hasegawa.
“In the second half I moved Usami to the left side and brought on Shu Kurata in the middle instead as the forward behind Patric.
“Kurata did well there and Usami had a bit more freedom on the left side and he began to have more influence, did a good job, and we were more of an attacking threat in the second half.”
Photo: WSG