Gamba Osaka's season has been a difficult one, with a long COVID-19-related pause to start the year and an inability to score goals throughout the campaign.
Their attacking woes may have an answer now, though, with Takashi Usami finding fine form as of late.
Usami was a Gamba golden boy, starring for the club before moving onto Europe. His return to Osaka has had some bright moments, but overall been uneven as he has struggled to find the consistent magic of his first stint.
With two goals and two assists in his last four matches for the Blue and Black, though, he's proving to once again be the key to an attack that may be gaining steam.
This weekend, Usami’s brilliant run of form could decide the title race. If Gamba can take points off Yokohama F·Marinos, it opens the door for Kawasaki Frontale to clinch the league with a win.
Gamba’s rough start to the season has kept them from competing for the league title, but that doesn’t mean they can’t impact it - and if they do that, you can bet on a resurgent Usami being at the heart of it.
