Gamba Osaka roared to a 3-0 win against Adelaide United in their first AFC Champions League Group H game on Wednesday.
Kenta Hasegawa’s men downed their 2008 ACL final opponents thanks to first-half goals from Shun Nagasawa and Yasuyuki Konno.
Dylan McGowan’s own-goal late in the second half compounded Adelaide’s misery as Gamba secured a morale-boosting win at Hindmarsh Stadium.
It was the 2014 Japanese champions’ first Asian win in nine outings, setting them up nicely for their continental bow at home next against Jeju United.