Forward Takashi Usami struck twice as Gamba Osaka (J1) defeated Montedio Yamagata (J2) in the title game of the 94th Emperor’s Cup All-Japan Championship at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium on 13 December.

Gamba Osaka(J1)　3-1（1st 2-0、2nd 1-1）Montedio Yamagata(J2)

It was the first time for Gamba to win in the annual tourney since the 89th edition in 2009, fourth overall. They completed domestic treble championships along with the J. League First Division and J. League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup. The club became the second team to win the three titles, first since Kashima Antlers, who won the Emperor’s Cup in the 80th tourney in 2000.

Before a crowd of 47,929, Yamagata, who advanced to the All-Japan final for the first time as a Tohoku club in 81 years, came on aggressively from early. When they robbed the ball in the centre field, they quickly connected it laterally and midfielder Matsuoka Ryosuke, who received a pass from forward Romero Frank, had an occasion to threat the Gamba goal. Likewise, Yamagata showed some momentum as they just clinched a Division One berth a week before.

But it was Gamba who got on the scoreboard first. On 4th minute, forward Patric connected a long ball from a free kick to Usami. Usami’s shot was saved by Yamagata goalkeeper Yamagishi Norihiro, but Usami reacted to the rebounded ball and put it into the goal.

A minute later, Romero Frank launched a shot as he got into the box. But Gamba goalkeeper Higashiguchi Masaaki defended it. On 12th, a middle shot fired by forward Diego went outside of the goal mouth.

To counter Yamagata, who would come aggressively, when Gamba had the ball in the middle of the field, they eventually tried to send passes to behind the defensive line of Yamagata. On 16th, Usami attempted to add another off a counter attack. On 22nd, Usami robbed the ball in the centre field and dribbled up, and then fed a pass to Patric. Patric composedly sent it into the right corner of the goal to give Gamba a 2-0 lead.

Gamba completely grabbed the momentum and threatened the Montedio goal around midfielder Kurata Shu, Patric, midfielder Omori Kotaro and defender Iwashita Keisuke.

Yamagata, who wanted to start a rally, substituted Ito Shun with defender Funatsu Tetsuya from the beginning of the second half, and then Yamazaki Masato with forward Hayashi Ryohei. Two minutes later, defender Ishikawa Tatsuya dribbled up in the left side and Romero Frank directly fired a shot with a pass of Ishikawa into the goal to cut the deficit.

As they got to be able to have the ball by pressing up front, Yamagata became able to threat the Gamba goal. Midfielder Miyasaka Masaki had a free kick on 64th and Diego came closer to the goal with a one-two pass play with Romero Frank. But both occasions, the shots didn’t get past goalkeeper Higashiguchi.

Yamagata sent forward Nakashima Yuki for Romero Frank as the team’s third substitution, but moments later, one of their players got hurt and had to get out of the pitch for a treatment and they had to play with one man down.

Gamba scored their third goal during the period. Usami received a pass from Endo Yasuhito and put it into the goal with his right foot for his sixth goal of the tournament, tying for the Emperor’s Cup-high, insuring the victory.

Hasegawa Kenta, head coach of Gamba, who achieved the treble titles in their first season back in the first division, said, "It’s all about the team. It’s the result of that our players had hoped for the return to the top league and trained hard to entre games. I’d like to appreciate our players.’’

Meanwhile, as Gamba won in the Emperor’s Cup and J1, Kashiwa Reysol, who finished fourth in the season, earned a spot on the playoff for next year’s AFC Champions League. They’ll play along with Urawa Reds and Kashima Antlers, who finished second and third in the league, respectively.

The game details are:

Commnets

HASEGAWA Kenta, Head Coach（Gamba Osaka）
I’m happy to have won the treble championships. I don’t think that our players were ready both physically and mentally, but they played out their own brand of ball and showed their hearts until the very end. I was watching thinking that even if we’d been tied, we should only try to win in the end, using our players in the bench that could join our attacks. While we played in the difficult schedule, some of our players who wouldn’t play much during the regular season took the field and it gave the chances to win, and it led to the championship today. This is the result of that our players had hoped to have a resurgence and trained hard to entre games, and it led to an outcome like this. I’d really like to appreciate our players. I believe each and every team is going to come against us next year, but we are not going to be passive and Gamba Osaka need to keep developing. We have won in the ACL in the past, so hopefully we will have another good outcome, working as hard as we can as the whole team.

USAMI Takashi（Gamba Osaka）
I’m proud that we’ve won the three titles. I was able to give the team good scores. It was my dream to bring the title, so I’m pleased to have done it. I was only aware of winning within the regulation. I would like to think next year is going to be even more important, and we would like to shoot for another title.

ENDO Yasuhito（Gamba Osaka）
I’m extremely happy about the treble titles, both individually and for the team. I was thinking it would be difficult to complete the treble, but I’m honored to have achieved it. I think that our team did it, having worked hard while nobody was watching us. I think we did a great job. For today’s match, I was thinking that we should only show how Gamba was always playing. In fact, we scored first in the first half, so we didn’t have to take risks, and I and Konno were trying to bring balance to the team. In the 20 years of the J. League history, only Kashima had become treble winners, and we’re honored to have done it too. I’m proud and I think I want to make this team even better.

KONNO Yasuyuki（Gamba Osaka）
I think that we were well deserved the win. We showed good plays after we robbed the ball and because our opponents were coming against us aggressively, we were able to take advantage of Usami and Patric. Gamba have the technique to capitalize on the space behind the defensive line when it’s open and our have guys who have high individual skills. So I feel that we got better as we played games. I wanted to bring a title at Gamba as well, so it feels great to have won the treble championships.

ISHIZAKI Nobuhiro, Head Coach（Montedio Yamagata）
It wasn’t so bad to entre the game, but we allowed them to win in the air with long balls, and it gave them chances to come against us on counter attacks. I think that they had the individual skills that the players in the J2 don’t have. We were watching their pair of forwards up front so carefully, but we got beaten with their speed. We were saying before the game that we wouldn’t be scared with the opponents, and play our football. Our players did their best and ran well and played physically to get the ball. But we couldn’t capitalize on those opportunities for shots. But against Gamba, who won in the J1, I think that we battled well with courage. We ended up losing 3-1, but I want to learn from this, reflecting on what we could do and what we couldn’t do, for next year.

YAMAGISHI Norihiro（Montedio Yamagata）
I’m so disappointed with the loss. The first goal we gave up three minutes into the games and that means we still have a long way to be better at entering a game. We weren’t completely captured but they still made it, and on their second goal, they took advantage of the individual abilities of their two strikers off counters. Offensively, we began having some moves with the second guy and third guy after Hayashi came in, but it was frustrating that it only led to Frank’s goal. We should not forget the disappointment that we felt today and the gap with the J1 champions that we experienced, and it is going to be benefits for the club by channeling them positively, as we move forward.

YAMAZAKI Masato（Montedio Yamagata）
We played against the J1 champions, but it was clear-cut on what we had to do, and we did do what we were supposed to do. But Gamba proved they were who we thought they were, and we were so technical. When we attacked them up front, they often found ways to escape from it. It was actually within our assumption, but our line played too deep and it made the distance between them and our front guys too huge, and it was disappointing. It was a good experience for us, but in order to play in the J1 next year, we will have to polish our style while our defenders have to join our attacks and our offensive players have to join our defence. Likewise, we will have to raise our level in all phases.