Gamba Osaka vs Cerezo Osaka

Panasonic Stadium Suita forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering J1 League encounter between Gamba Osaka and Cerezo Osaka.

Gamba Osaka head into proceedings having lost their last three competitive matches by an aggregate score of 7-0, including a 2-0 defeat to Kashima Antlers in midweek Emperor’s Cup action. The home side’s underwhelming eight-game J1 League form (W1, D1, L6) has seen them slip to within a single point of the relegation zone. Desperate to get back to winning ways, the ‘Nerazzurri’ will fall back on a decent five-game home league run (W2, D2, L1), during which they kept three clean sheets. That could inspire Gamba’s effort to halt an abysmal four-game losing home streak against Cerezo across all competitions.

In the meantime, Cerezo Osaka eked out a narrow 2-1 win at Nagoya Grampus in the Emperor’s Cup last-16 in midweek, stretching their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions (W3, D3). However, after picking up just one win from their last five J1 League outings (D3, L1), Cerezo’s hopes of landing a top-three finish have been thrown into doubt. With third-placed Kawasaki Frontale five points clear, the ‘Sakura’ will be keen to arrest a two-game winless away league streak (D1, L1) and rekindle their bid to reach the AFC Champions League qualifiers. Delivering action from the offset, the visitors have opened the scoring in eight of their ten away league matches this term.