Suruga Bank Championship 2015 OSAKA - J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup/Copa Total Sudamericana Championship will be held on 11 August in Osaka and Gamba Osaka and River Plate will face each other. Prior to the match between the champions of Japan and South America, this article reviews the previous championship which took place last year.

For last year’s championship which was the 7th time it had taken place, Kashiwa Reysol and Club Atletico Lanus from Argentina faced each other. The match went very intensive from the beginning and was held at the Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium. Lanus had grown acclimatised to Japan’s wet and hot weather after 5 days of preparation and tried to attack Kashiwa’s goal with its physical fitness.

In the beginning, Kashiwa was pressured by Lanus but they gradually calmed down and found a good rhythm. In the 44th minute, KURISAWA Ryoichi passed the ball to Leandro and at last TAKAYAMA Kaoru went up the left wing and scored the opening goal. The 1st half ended with Kashiwa in the lead.

Lanus, who was 1 goal behind, became more aggressive in the 2nd half. They moved even closer to the players that had the ball to try to steal possession and showed their sharp counter attacks. In the 55th minute, Diego Braghieri’s header hit the crossbar, and then 4 minutes later Leandro Somoza’s middle shot hit a Kashiwa’s DF and that was the equaliser.

After this goal, Lanus tried to score additional goals and centre players such as Diego Gonzalez approached the goal aggressively but Kashiwa’s defenders put their bodies on the line to protect their goal. The match didn’t change until 89th minute when Kashiwa got the penalty kick; under the supporters’ cheering, Kashiwa’s KUDO Masato was felled in the opponent’s penalty area. Kashiwa’s Leandro calmly found the back of the net and took the lead. Lanus kept attacking the Kashiwa’s goal even more aggressively until the very end. The match ended with Kashiwa’s lead by one goal.

After the match, Kashiwa’s Coach Nelsinho, at that time, said, “This victory has given us the confidence as a team; we could beat one of the strongest teams of South America.” Japan has got five consecutive victories and two defeats in this championship.

SURUGA bank Championship 2015 OSAKA J.LEAGUE YAMAZAKI NABISCO CUP / COPA TOTAL SUDAMERICANA
Championship Final

Gamba Osaka vs. River Plate
2015-8-11 (Tue.) – 19:00     Gate Opening: 17:00
OSAKA / Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium
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Ticket information (Japanese version only)