5 - 1 
The scoreline doesn't tell the whole story as Gamba took this to Antlers and, but for a few decisions going against them - hello Mr. Yoshida! (two denied PKs, a red card for Lucas) - they could have been in the lead late in this game, instead of having to finish the game in a 1-4-4 formation and leaving themselves open for two more late strikes as they went for goals! As it was, at the start of the game a Gamba win and they'd be level on points with Kashima going into the last game, a Kashima win and it was all over for Gamba... pressure? Yes, a high stakes game indeed, but Gamba seemed to be confident going into the game unbeaten since August, and it was Kashima's game - and Championship - to lose.
It was going to be a tense afternoon in Ibaraki! This game kicked off with Takagi returning to the left back position for Gamba Osaka, Nakazawa - pronounced fit to play, Yamaguchi and Kaji completing the back four in front of Fujigaya in goal. Hashimoto - missing due to injury - was, again, replaced by Sasaki, with Endo dropping back into a slightly more defensive role with Myojin, Sasaki and Futagawa the more attacking of the midfield four. Pedro Junor and Lucas were the starting forwards, as expected. While the Gamba wings were under siege for the first 15 minutes, it was Gamba - through Lucas, and Sasaki twice - who go the shots in, Kashima restricted to pressure on the sides and crosses that were cleared with ease. The closest Kashima came in the opening session was a long range Ogasawara free kick that was headed clear for a corner by Lucas.
Antlers' tactic was obviously to pressure Gamba high up the field and stop the rhythm of the Osaka side's passing game and, while this seemed to work, it was Gamba who had the shots on the board. In the 16th minute Sasaki burst through on the right and was brought down dangerously by Inoha, but the referee kept his card in his pocket. Endo swung in the free kick but it was cleared easily.
Takagi was looking a natural left back today, getting in some blistering tackles high up the field, as well as some nice passes under pressure ... Kaji was hardly getting a look-in on the right, as Kashima concentrated on the right, Nozawa, Koroko, Motoyama and Marquinhos all rotating around as the left side of their game seemed to be neglected, perhaps intentionally, as if they'd hoped that Takagi a centre back out of position was to be the weak link? Into the 23rd minute neither keeper had been tested, Kashima not even having had a shot anywhere near the target and, as we moved into the 26th minute, Takagi cut out a pass in midfield, advanced, slipped the ball to Pedro Junior who slipped past a defender and lined up the 20 yard shot, only to be brought down on the edge of the area. The Kashima fans booed loudly and the Gamba fans anticipated their hero placing the ball in a corner for the first goal.. but, no! Over.
Minutes later, Pedro Junior dribbled into a forest of defenders in the penalty area and was brought down by the left leg of Koji Nakata! No... the referee judged it a dive and yellow carded Pedro Junior. Replays later showed there was clear contact and a penalty would not have been out of order! Gamba were now getting it together and causing problems as they settled into the passing game, with Takagi, in particular getting a few telling plays in... Lucas, Futagawa, Pedro Junior and Lucas all got in on the act before Myojin finished off a nice move with a low drive that was a foot wide of the keeper's right post in the 33rd minute. In the 43rd Marquinhos got a header on target from a right side free kick, although Fujigaya was not really tested but, as the break approached it was all Gamba pressure as Antlers were pegged back
Jjust before the break the Antlers caught a break as Sasaki chased in to challenge Sogohata to a loose ball and Ogasawara threw up an arm to obstruct him. While there seemed no intent to actually injure on Ogasawara's move, it was a calculated move by the Antlers midfield general to block Sasaki which could well have been a PK or even a red card . . . . if the referee had seen it differently. The half ended with Antlers players relieved as Gamba piled on the pressure, Kashima hardly touching the ball for the last minutes of the half. And, while there hadn't been a clear cut save by either keeper, the game had swung Gamba's way. Antlers coach Oliveira and the Kashima fans were probably counting their blessings that the two penalties had not been awarded by referee Yoshida. A very intriguing 2nd half was promised.
At this point it was also 0-0 in the Frontale - Albirex game. If it stayed this way all three of Kashima, Kawasaki and Gamba would still be in it on the final day of the season! The good news for Gamba fans was that their team came out with all guns blazing and continued where they had left off, Antlers hardly getting a touch of the ball for the first ten minutes of the 2nd half - the away team's passes were crisp, the movement was quick and the confidence was visible. Kashima started preparing substitutes, they were so out played in this opening period... and the, suddenly, out of nowhere, a mis-controlled ball from Nozawa fell kindly for Marquinhos, who snapped off a 25 yarder that whizzed past the post. Gamba had to make sure their dominance paid dividend with a goal, and that they did not lose concentration at the back.
Sure enough, in the 57th minute Danilo was prepared to replace Motoyama, as Oliveira tried to plug the gaps and then, Pedro Junior lost a ball on the half way line, the ball was fed forward to Koroki and he twisted and turned Nakazawa before putting the ball across Fujigaya and into the net. Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Nozawa took a clearance from the Gamba defence, after a Marquinhos shot had been parried and curled it over the outstretched Fujigaya. It was all over for Gamba! Or was it?
Two minutes later and Futagawa made it 2-1, as he controlled a reverse pass, turned one defender and calmly slotted the ball home as FOUR defenders slid into him from all directions. Now it was getting interesting! A minute later Lucas was late with a tackle on Ogasawara and went into the book. From the free kick, the ball ricocheted to Nozawa on the left side of the area. he poked the ball back across the area and Koroki beat Yamaguchi to it and poked it past Fujigaya... 3-1 Antlers. Just over 25 minutes to go and now a miracle was needed for Gamba to stay in the hunt for the Championship.
Perhaps it would come from Yasuda or Cho, who both came on - for Sasaki and Kaji on 67 minutes. Gamba went to three centre backs, Futagawa moved to right wing back, and Yasuda slotted into the position he is best at, left wing. It was all or nothing, but a minute later and Lucas received his 2nd yellow and was sent off for an innocent looking jump - the referee adjudging that he raised his elbow as he jumped. Compared to the elbow by Ogasawara on Sasaki earlier in the game, this was child's play - it's quite alarming how much a referee's decisions can affect match - and indeed Championship - outcomes! And, a minute later, Marquinhos went into the back of Nakazawa's head with his arm, and there was no reaction from the referee - although plenty of reaction from Nakazawa! His choice words upset Marquinhos who had to be restrained as the game heated up. Perhaps the Brazilian forward had also heard that Frontale had taken the lead, so even a Kashima win would not be enough to take the Championship today.
To this blue and black spectacled writer, the referee was losing it. A minute later, Pedro Junior and Endo were both upended on the edge of the Kashima area, neither foul given, and then Takagi won the ball cleanly and a foul was given. The fact that Takagi's tackle was in the Kashima area - and Takagi was one of the three Gamba defenders showed how much Gamba were gong for this game. Of course, they would also be leaving themselves open for the counter-attack. The last 15 minutes were promising to be interesting, to say the least! in the 78th minute Yasuda whipped down the left wing as Gamba's ten men took the game to Kashima, his cross was aimed at Cho, who was wrestled to the ground, the ball cleared, but only as far as that man Takagi again, whose volley from 30 yards whistled past the post.
In the 82nd minute, Endo and Yasuda exchanged passes on the edge of the area, and Endo was taken out right on the 18 yard line for a free kick. A final chance to get back in the game, but too close to really be able to get it on target. Amazingly, by the time the free kick was taken, it was 25 yards out - how the referee missed that is anyone's guess! Endo's free kick was deflected for a corner.
Gamba had now taken off Nakazawa and brought on Yamazaki as Takagi was playing almost as a forward at times, it seems that Gamba went to they a 1-5-3 formation, with Yamaguchi holding th fort at the back. The last throw of the dice didn't work, but at least Gamba went for it.... Tashiro found himself free to make it 4-1, then Nozawa went free on the right, turned and crossed to the three attackers wide open in the area, and Danilo made it 5-1 to Kashima.
In lost time, Gamba took a corner and, even at this point in the game, they had 8 players up and the clearance found four Kashima players against one Gamba defender only for Fujigaya to make a smart save from Ogasawara. Despite the final unflattering scoreline Gamba Osaka's players should be proud of the way they took this game to Kashima, even after going down to ten men - classic Nishino all-or-nothing substitutions - and we can all reflect on what would have happened with a different referee. But that's football - you take the rough with the smooth and, until TV replays are used - and I would never advocate that for football - that's football!
