There were wins for both Gamba Osaka and Fagiano Okayama as REGIONAL ROUND Match Week 5 in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE concluded on Sunday.
G-Osaka emerged as 3-2 victors after a rollercoaster battle against V-Varen Nagasaki, while Okayama struck late on to defeat Kyoto Sanga F.C. 1-0.
Deniz Hummet opened the scoring for G-Osaka in the 13th minute at Panasonic Stadium Suita, finishing clinically after being found in the area by strike partner Issam Jebali.
Matheus Jesus drew Nagasaki level eight minutes later, bending a free-kick from more than 30 yards out around the wall and beyond the despairing dive of G-Osaka goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi.
The Brazilian then whipped in his second of the game in the 27th minute, this time leaving Higashiguchi with no chance from 25 yards.
G-Osaka were back on level terms six minutes into the second half though, as Tokuma Suzuki dinked in a cross from the corner of the penalty area and Shinnosuke Nakatani confidently volleyed in from the edge of the six-yard box.
The hosts then completed their turnaround in the 83rd minute, Takeru Kishimoto heading to Riku Handa after Nagasaki had failed to clear a corner, and Handa’s deflected effort spinning away from goalkeeper Masaaki Goto and into the far side of the net.
Meanwhile, the defences were prevailing and neither goalkeeper had been called into any meaningful action until the 74th minute at JFE Harenokuni Stadium, when Kyoto’s Gakuji Ota stood tall to deny a powerful close-range effort from Okayama substitute Lucao.
Two minutes later Kyoto went close themselves, as Rafael Elias and Marco Tulio exchanged aerial passes just outside the penalty area before Marco Tulio sent a volley inches wide of Lennart Moser’s left-hand upright.
Okayama then snatched all three points for the first time this season in the 84th minute, as Kota Kawano headed Kosuke Shirai’s cross back across goal and Masaya Matsumoto was on hand to convert from close range.
Gamba Osaka vs V-Varen Nagasaki - Game Highlights | MW5
Fagiano Okayama vs Kyoto Sanga F.C. - Game Highlights | MW5
