Gamba Osaka vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Top-four bidding Sanfrecce Hiroshima head to the Panasonic Stadium Suita to encounter bottom-half Gamba Osaka in a handsomely-looking J1 League fixture.

Gamba Osaka succumbed to a dreadful 3-1 defeat away to Cerezo Osaka last time out, putting a three-game unbeaten league streak to a halt (W2, D1). Back at the Panasonic Stadium Suita, the ‘Black-and-Blues’ will be desperate to return to winning ways, though an indifferent home form in the early stage of this J1 League campaign (W2, D2, L3) suggests otherwise. Moreover, Gamba have picked up just one victory in their last three top-flight home meetings with Hiroshima (D1, L1), netting precisely once on each occasion. They are unlikely to improve their paltry scoring return this time around, having bagged under 1.5 goals in three of their four previous home league outings.

In the meantime, Sanfrecce Hiroshima wlll be desperate to establish any kind of consistency after alternating between winning (2) and not winning (2) in their last four J1 League fixtures. It could be easier said than done, though, as they’ve drawn their three previous league matches on hostile turf, two of which yielded the identical 2-2 scoreline. Indeed, four of Hiroshima’s six J1 League games away from home have ended level (W1, L1), highlighting the potential for a tight, keenly-contest affair.