The 95th Emperor’s Cup All Japan Football Championship final was held at Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo on 1 January. Gamba Osaka beat Urawa Reds 2-1 –thanks to Gamba’s forward player PATRIC for scoring 2 goals- and won the title.

This is Gamba Osaka’s second time to get the second straight victory and no team has achieved this before since J.League was launched. Gamba Osaka has previously won the 2 consecutive titles in 2008 and 2009. As a team, this is their fifth time to win the title, including the time when team’s name used to be “Matsushita Electric Club.”

Their most recent match before this one was the semi-final of the J.League Championship of this season, and Gamba Osaka who was in 3rd place, beat Urawa, who was in 2nd at that time. This final match went very intensive with strong fighting instinct just like their previous matches. 

This year, Urawa aimed at the title after 9 years since they got the 2 consecutive titles in 2006. Instead of midfielder KASHIWAGI Yosuke, who had got injured in the semi final, midfielder AOKI Takuya was picked. For the others, Right-midfielder UMESAKI Tsukasa, forward LEE Tadanari, forward KOROKI Shinzo, and forward MUTO Yuki featured. Gamba Osaka, on the other hand, used the same formation as they used in the semi-final match where they beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima, this year’s J.League Champion. 

Since both Gamba Osaka and Urawa couldn’t get any titles in this season’s J1 League, J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup, and the AFC Champions League (ACL), their strong passion to get the victory in the Emperor’s Cup was expressed in their play and some accidents happened to both teams in the beginning of the match.

In the 5th minute, Urawa’s defender MAKINO Tomoaki got injured on his right hand when he competed with an opponent player. Gamba Osaka, in the 9th minute, had to substitute YONEKURA Koki due to his right leg injury that happened in front of the goal, and the team’s Coach HASEGAWA Kenta decided to play midfielder KONNO Yasuyuki in the right-back position and put midfielder IDEGUCHI Yosuke in central midfield. 

In the 4th minute, Gamba Osaka’s forward USAMI Takashi raised a cross and Patric made a shot; it only hit the cross bar and same thing happened in the 25th minute. On the other hand, Urawa’s defender NASU Daisuke and Makino made shots one after another in the 10th minute but both of them couldn’t find the net. 

The opener was made by Gamba Osaka; in the 32nd minute, Gamba Osaka stole the ball around the halfway line and Patric jumped out to a space behind the defense moving forward with speed. He cut into the penalty area to blast a shot with his right foot.

However, after 4 minutes, Urawa’s Umesaki made a cross from right wing and Lee made a shot by heading which didn’t find the goal. Koroki immediately got the bounced ball with his right foot and it successfully found the net. At the end of the 1st half, Koroki made a final touch by heading from a cross came from right wing, but Gamba Osaka’s goalkeeper HIGASHIGUCHI Masaaki responded to this quickly to defend it. The 1st half ended 1-1. 

In the 2nd half, Gamba Osaka got the chance from a corner kick. From the opposite side, Patric jumped out to in front of the goal while 2 opponent defenders were sticking to his teammates. His right foot caught midfielder ENDO Yasuhito’s corner kick and screwed it into the net. The shot broke the seesaw battle. 

4 minutes after the 2nd goal, Urawa’s midfielder SEKINE Takahiro and forward ZLATAN tried to attack, and in the 69th minute, midfielder TAKAGI Toshiyuki was sent to the pitch to push the further attack. Even though Urawa seemed to have more control by midfielder ABE Yuki, Nasu, and Lee, they couldn’t add another goal. 

Towards the end, defender MORIWAKI Ryota and Makino pushed up in the front line and when left wing Takagi made a chance by raising a cross, Zlatan tried to score by heading but it just went over the post. Then Makino stole the ball from the opponent’s defender and tried to make a shot, however it was blocked by  Higashiguchi; he saved the Gamba Osaka’s goal very well throughout and the match came to an end. 

As a result, Gamba Osaka has qualified for the next year’s ACL, even though the team had already qualified by getting 2nd place in the J1 League. Urawa who was in 3rd place of the J1 League also got a place in ACL. Hiroshima who got the title of the J.League Championship this year will play as the first team in ACL. F.C. Tokyo who finished in 4th place of the J.League will also join from a play-off.

The SURUGA I DREAM Award, which is given to the goal which symbolized “Giant Killing of the Emperor’s Cup” was awarded to the goal that was made by SUZUKI Koji, FC Machida Zelvia in the 2nd round match against Nagoya Grampus. It was scored in the additional time of the 2nd half. 
　
Gamba Osaka will play against Hiroshima, the J.League champion, for the FUJI XEROX SUPER CUP 2016 in Nissan Stadium on 20 February, just before the start of the new season. 

Coach and Players' Comments

HASEGAWA Kenta, Coach (Gamba Osaka)
It is more like a relief than happiness. I was worried if any accident happened to the right- wing, but Konno worked very well until the end and I appreciate Ideguchi for doing a good job. It was the biggest key aspect for us today. Urawa missed Kashiwagi but they still attacked us very powerfully from the side wings and it was difficult, but Uchida came back to the pitch from injury and defended well. Needless to say, Patric did a great job. Including the substitute players, all players worked hard and that allowed us to achieve this victory. I am very grateful for being a part of this wonderful team throughout this season and for getting the title in the end. I thank all of the team members.

FW  PATRIC (Gamba Osaka)
I am happy to score 2 goals which contributed to the team’s victory in this competition on New Years Day. All of us were united well; I just want to celebrate this victory with them.

GK  HIGASHIGUCHI Masaaki (Gamba Osaka)
Since we didn’t get any title this season, we were united well as a team and I’m happy to finish the season with this good result. We will keep this good teamwork to win the title again in 2016.

Mihailo PETROVIC, Coach (Urawa Reds)
I am disappointed by this defeat. The players worked with 100% of their strengths and there were some positive things found. I appreciate them to play well throughout the season, but we lost today and that means something is still missing. We keep learning to improve ourselves for next season.

MF  ABE Yuki (Urawa Reds)
All I am feeling now is frustration. There must be something we have to improve. For example, sharing tactics in defence is one of the things we want to make sure to improve ourselves for the next season.

The 95th Emperor's Cup All Japan Football Championship

Sat. 29 August 2015 - Fri. 1 January 2016
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