Gamba Osaka vs Kashima Antlers

Gamba Osaka and Kashima Antlers go head-to-head at the Panasonic Stadium Suita in an exciting J1 League clash.

Gamba’s 2-1 home defeat to Vissel Kobe last time out ended a run of four J1 League matches without losing (W3, D1). The hosts head into this round sitting three points adrift of safety, though they have five games in hand on 16th-placed Tokushima. Curiously, after playing out back-to-back goalless home draws at the beginning of the season, none of Gamba’s subsequent six home league games have ended level (W2, L4). Five of those six home fixtures won/lost saw the winner on the day benefit from scoring the first-half opener. There’s been plenty of first-half action in Gamba’s home matches this term, with 11 (61.11%) of their home J1 League goals scored/conceded so far coming in the first half of play. Tsuneyasu Miyamoto’s haven’t lost any of their last three top-flight H2Hs as hosts (W1, D2), with each encounter producing precisely two match goals.

On the other hand, Kashima had been on a three-game unbeaten J1 League streak (W1, D2) before succumbing to a 2-1 away loss to Kashiwa Reysol last time out. Away from home, Naoki Soma’s men have gone winless in four consecutive league fixtures (D1, L3) since outscoring Nagoya Grampus 2-0 in mid-May, with each of those three reverses yielding the identical 2-1 scoreline. Yet, delivering action from the get-go, the visitors have registered a clear majority (66.67%) of their away league goals scored so far in the first half (8/12). However, they might not be a way back into this showdown for Kashima if they fall behind as they have lost all four J1 League trips in which they conceded first this term.