Gamba Osaka vs Urawa Red Diamonds 19/08/20

19 August 2020

Gamba Osaka will be looking to halt a frustrating three-game winless run in the J1 League H2Hs against Urawa Red Diamonds when the two sides lock horns at the Suita City Football Stadium this week (D2, L1).

The hosts go into this encounter on the back of two identical 2-1 wins in domestic competitions, both of which saw them take a one-goal lead into half-time. In J1 League, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto’s men have won five out of their last six fixtures (L1). Curiously, five of those six results (wins/losses) have yielded a one-goal margin, with three producing the same 2-1 scoreline. In turn, none of Gamba’s five league home games this term has ended in a draw (W3, L2), with each featuring a full-time margin of a single goal. Another tight contest is on the cards, given all seven of their previous competitive H2Hs held at this venue have ended separating the sides by under 1.5 goals at FT (W2, D3, L2).

As for the visitors, a narrow 1-0 home triumph over Hiroshima last time out brought their three-game winless run in all competitions to an end (D1, L2). It also means that eight of Urawa’s ten J1 League matches this season have featured under 1.5 first-half goals, and six saw less than 2.5 goals at FT. Interestingly, the ‘Red Devils’ have yet to play out a draw on the road this term (W3, L2), with the last three of those results producing a full-time margin of at least two goals. Yet, Urawa’s defensive woes have often been exposed before the half-time break, as 63.64% (7) of the 11 J1 League away goals they’ve conceded so far arrived in the first half of play.