Nagasaki left their key attacking midfielder, Matheus Jesus, on the bench at the start. This made it important for Gamba to score in the first half. If Matheus came on in the second half, the match was expected to become much harder for Gamba.
Note: The “100 Year Vision League” is a special competition format used in the J1 League this season. Teams play in regional groups, and the results also count toward the regular league table.
Gamba controlled the game from the very beginning. In the 2nd minute, a corner kick led to a big chance for Issam Jebali, but his shot went over the crossbar. Finishing from that kind of position is a known weakness for him.
In the 10th minute, Welton picked up a leg injury. Head Coach Jens Wissing has struggled to manage player fitness — this was already a concern after Riku Handa’s earlier injury. Ryoya Yamashita came on to replace Welton in the 13th minute, though Nakatsumi Naru might have been a better choice given the fitness situation.
In the 16th minute, another corner kick created an opportunity. Deniz Hummet got a shot off, but it was blocked. In the 19th minute, Ryotaro Meshino tried his trademark curling shot, but the goalkeeper pushed it out for a corner. In the 21st minute, captain Shinnosuke Nakatani connected with the ball at the far post from a free kick, but his effort just missed the target. In the 25th minute, Takeru Kishimoto attempted a backheel flick from a corner, but the goalkeeper saved it.
After that, Nagasaki took control of the game. This is common in football — if a team keeps missing chances, the opponent often starts to gain confidence and momentum. In the 32nd minute, Hijiri Onaga tried a clever chip shot, but luckily it did not go in.
In the 37th minute, Jebali picked up a leg injury and was replaced by Takashi Usami — the second substitution due to injury in this match alone. Coach Wissing’s struggles with player fitness management are now a serious concern.
In the 40th minute, Meshino fired a shot on the counter-attack, but the goalkeeper stopped it again. In the 45th minute, Shuto Abe took a kick to the thigh from an opponent. He continued playing, but replacing him would have been the wiser decision.
The first half ended 0–0. However, with two players already off due to injury, the second half looked difficult for Gamba.
Second Half
At half-time, Abe came off and was replaced by rookie Takato Yamamoto. It is always good to give young players experience, but it is essential that the injured players recover in time for the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) final on May 17.
Note: The AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) is the second-tier club competition in Asian football, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It sits one level below the AFC Champions League Elite.
Nagasaki started the second half strongly. Abe’s absence clearly weakened Gamba’s balance between attack and defence.
In the 55th minute, Yamashita drove forward and hit a shot, but it went over the crossbar. In the 61st minute, Nagasaki delivered a cross and Masahiro Sekiguchi was completely unmarked. He shot, but Rui Araki made a superb block to concede only a corner. In the 63rd minute, Nagasaki brought on Matheus Jesus.
Yamamoto, who came on at half-time, showed good positional awareness in defence — choosing the right positions depending on the situation. Whether that was his own instinct or the coach’s instructions is unclear, but given the current squad situation, he deserves more playing time.
In the 72nd minute, Usami tried a long-range shot. In the 76th minute, Nagasaki’s Motoki Hasegawa entered the penalty area and was brought down by Nakatani — the referee gave a penalty. Matheus Jesus stepped up and converted it calmly. Nagasaki took the lead, and the situation became even harder for Gamba.
However, in the 80th minute, a counter-attack changed everything. Usami played a clever flick, Yamashita ran clear, and his final pass was finished by Hummet. Gamba were level. It was a beautifully crafted goal.
Immediately after the equaliser, Meshino came off for Harumi Minamino, and Ryo Hatsuse came off for Shinya Nakano. All five substitution slots were now used.
In the 85th minute, Nagasaki fired several shots in quick succession, but Araki made back-to-back saves. The young goalkeeper gained some very valuable experience.
Extra Time and Penalty Shootout
In the 95th minute, Nakatani met Usami’s corner kick with a header, but the ball hit the post. Another corner followed, but neither side scored. The match went to a penalty shootout.
Note: In the J1 League 100 Year Vision League format, if a match is still level after 90 minutes, it goes to extra time and then a penalty shootout. The team that wins the shootout earns 2 points, while the losing team takes 1 point.
This was Gamba’s seventh penalty shootout in this competition. For Nagasaki, it was their first.
During the shootout, before Nagasaki’s third taker stepped up, the referee stopped play to speak to the Gamba supporters, and captain Nakatani went over to help manage the situation. From the gestures used, it appeared that a large Gamba banner had fallen into the Nagasaki supporters’ section. The concern itself is understandable, but the stadium management team must also take some responsibility — they had seated Nagasaki supporters directly next to the Gamba section with no buffer zone between them.
Both teams scored all five of their first-round penalties, sending the shootout into sudden death. In sudden death, Araki saved Nagasaki’s sixth penalty. Then Nakano scored Gamba’s sixth. Gamba won the shootout and took 2 points.
Match Summary
For GK Rui Araki — playing only his second professional appearance — this was a wonderful first win. The personal Man of the Match for this game is without question Araki. His saves in the second half, when Nagasaki had multiple clear scoring chances, made this result possible.
It is a frustrating situation that three more players picked up injuries in this one match, but we can only hope none of them are serious. After the game, Welton, Jebali, and Abe were all seen walking on their own, which suggests the injuries are not severe. With the ACL2 final approaching, we can try to look at this in a positive way.
Gamba’s next match is an away fixture against Kyoto Sanga F.C. on April 29. The schedule is demanding with games coming quickly, and the last thing the team needs is more injuries.
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