Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kashima: Two goals from Takashi Usami saw Gamba Osaka down J.League leaders Kashima Antlers 2-1 in their second stage Round 10 clash on Saturday to send last year’s Japanese treble winners into the second leg of their 2015 AFC Champions League quarter-final with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on a winning note.
Usami, who had a couple of seasons in Germany with Bayern Munich and then 1899 Hoffenheim, put Gamba 1-0 up with 29 minutes at the Kashima Soccer Stadium played before the 23-year-old (pictured during Gamba’s ACL 15 group stage match against Seongnam) took his tally 2015 J.League tally to 18 when he successfully converted form the penalty spot ten minutes later.
Ryuga Suzuki pulled one back for the home side but it was not enough to prevent Gamba ending Kashima’s nine match unbeaten streak and help knock them off top spot in the J.League standings, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima taking pole position following Saturday’s 3-1victory over Montedio Yamagata.
Gamba’s fifth win of the season sees the defending J.League champions sit fifth in the table with 18 points, six shy of Sanfrecce, as they prepare to host Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the second leg of their 2015 ACL quarter-final clash on Wednesday.
The tie is tentatively poised after the 2008 ACL champions returned from South Korea with a goalless draw after an impressive defensive display shutout the 2006 continental club champions in the first leg at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Photo: WSG