Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: A second half header from Gamba Osaka captain Yasuhito Endo ensured the former winners and Australia’s Melbourne Victory shared a 1-1 draw in Group G of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.
Melbourne opened the scoring within five minutes at Suita City Football Stadium through Shu Kurata’s deflected own goal following a goalmouth scramble that saw defender Nicholas Ansell twice try to force the ball home.
But 2015 semi-finalists Gamba came out with intent after the break and equalised through Endo’s header on 57 minutes before Brazilian forward Patric twice could have won it in the final 10 minutes.
“We gave up the first goal from a corner kick because of our mistake. We had a similar situation at the start of the game in last year’s ACL game and we couldn’t score back at the time. But this time we displayed aggressive football in the second half in particular,” said Gamba coach Kenta Hasegawa.
“After scoring a goal we created a big chance in an open play and came close to scoring a goal, which I want to take it positively. However, it was disappointing to end up with a draw.
“I am feeling that we are close to producing a good result, so we’ll keep working hard and prepare for our coming matches in the ACL and the J. League.”
Melbourne took the lead in the fourth minute when Ansell’s header from Kosta Barbarouses’s corner from the right ricocheted up off the shoulder of Oh Jae-suk before the centre-back’s bundled second attempt from close in deflected off the inside of Kurata’s leg and into the back of the net.
Then in the 11th minute Melbourne had another sight on goal, but Besart Berisha fired straight at goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi after swiveling on the edge of the penalty area.
On 32 minutes, Gamba’s Yosuke Ideguchi side footed effort from 20 yards was too tame to trouble Melbourne goalkepeer Daniel Vukovic before Takashi Usami curled high and wide from distance after good interchange play with Patric as half-time approached.
Gamba came out strongly after the restart and Vukovic expertly tipped Patric’s blistering strike from 25 yards onto the crossbar and over 10 minutes in, and the custodian was again on hand soon after to parry wide Usami’s effort from close in.
But from the ensuing corner, Usami played a give and go with Hiroki Fujiharu before delivering a deep cross to the back post that the unmarked Endo headed home from inside the six yard area.
The hosts then could have gone in front on 81 minutes but Patric’s header from Endo’s free-kick from the right was off target before the Brazilian directed a golden opportunity from eight yards straight at Vukovic in the last minute.
“I thought all in all it was an excellent game of football, two teams intent on attacking. We played against very good Gamba team, we were also very decent and structured. It was excellent, and taking a point back to Melbourne is pleasing,” said Melbourne coach Kevin Muscat.
“It’s difficult to analyse so soon after the game, but the fact that we scored so early and forced to Gamba, if you like, to come on the offensive maybe a little bit more than they normally would, they are probably more patient in possession. But because we scored so early it made the tie very exciting I suppose, for the neutral, anyone would think we both deserved at least a point.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports