Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: A brace from striker Santos saw Korea Republic’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings ensure their 2016 AFC Champions League campaign endures until the final Matchday as a 2-1 victory eliminated Japanese hosts Gamba Osaka on Tuesday with a game to spare.
No Dong-geon’s save from Takashi Usami’s penalty on 35 minutes proved the turning point as Santos struck on the 49th and 57th minutes to give two-time continental champions Suwon a deserved two goal lead in a game they dictated for long spells.
Yasuyuki Konno did give 2008 winners Gamba a glimmer of hope with his 89th minute strike to halve Suwon’s lead, but with Gamba needing a win to remain in contention for a last 16 place, Suwon held on to claim all three points at Suita City Football Stadium.
"With the result today, we have kept alive the possibility of advancing to the Round of 16. I am thankful to our players," said Suwon coach Seo Jung-won.
"I rested six to seven of our regular starters in our last K-League game, and that helped them to have a good physical condition today.
"We still have one game to play and still have to wait to see the results of the Melbourne’s game. I am feeling happy about winning away from home but we are still not yet out of the group stage."
The visitors were on top in the early proceedings, but were unable to turn their dominance to clear-cut opportunities until the half-hour mark when Santos found space inside the penalty area only to see his ball across the six yard area evade both Gamba goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi and team-mate Kwon Chang-hoon at the back-post.
And Suwon almost paid the price for their prolificacy just five minutes later as Daiki Niwa was brought down inside the area by Yeom Ki-hun, but Takashi Usami’s resulting re-taken penalty was tamely struck and well-saved by No.
Despite going into half-time goalless, the Korean club needed just four minutes of the second 45 to find the goal their play merited as Yeom’s through ball was flicked into the path of Santos by Kwon and the Brazilian drilled an emphatic finish across Higashiguchi into the opposite corner of the net.
And shortly before the hour mark Suwon had their second as Konno handled inside the area and Santos stepped up and send Higashiguchi the wrong way as he rolled his spot-kick home.
Gamba responded to going two goals down immediately as Usami saw a firm header kept out by No, before the Japan striker saw another headed effort go wide on 71 minutes.
And after Jungo Fujimoto had seen a thumping free-kick turned over on 87 minutes, Konno then partially redeemed himself as he volleyed in from 10 yards out to reduce the deficit, but it was to prove too late for last year’s semi-finalists to prevent their premature exit.
"To our supporters who came expecting a win from us, I am really sorry that we went out of the tournament in the group stage," said Gamba coach Kenta Hasegawa.
"Our players fought hard today, knowing the significance of today’s game. However, we couldn't take the initiative in the first half, and then we gave away two goals in the second period.
"That makes me think that the players were under extra pressure, but the manager is responsible for this result. The players got one back with their strong will and we should carry that mentality into our next game."
Photo: Lagardère Sports