The Japanese top flight action continues this weekend and features this upcoming clash between hosts, Gamba Osaka, and their high-flying visitors, Yokohama F Marinos, when the two teams meet at the Panasonic Stadium Suita with both teams looking for all three points to boost their respective positions in the table.
Gamba Osaka find themselves in the bottom half of the J-League in 13th place and just four points above third from bottom outfit, Shimizu S-Pulse and the relegation play-off spot, so the hosts will be keen to lift themselves further away from the relegation zone with a win here.
In particular, Gamba Osaka will be eager to return to home soil this weekend after suffering back to back losses on the road at local rivals, Cerezo Osaka, and also Sagan Tosu, although results at their Panasonic Stadium Suita have produced a mixed bag of returns for the hosts this season.
Nevertheless, goals for both sides could feature here as four of Gamba Osaka’s seven home games to date have seen both teams score.
Onto Yokohama F Marinos and the visitors have emerged as one of the dark horses in the race for this season’s J-League title as the surprise package currently enjoy top spot and one point ahead of 2nd placed Kashima Antlers.
Yokohama head into Saturday’s clash in Osaka looking to capture a third league win on the trot following recent back to back wins against Kyoto Sanga and Jubilo Iwata.
While the bigger picture shows that the visitors have lost just once in their last seven outings overall, that being a 1-0 defeat on the road at Avispa Fukuoka.
However, despite their currently lofty position in the Japanese top flight, Yokohama have not had things all their own way on their travels so far this season as the Marinos have managed to pick up just three away wins from their eight outings on the road to date this term.
Wins at Kashima Antlers, Shonan Bellmare and Jubilo Iwata have been offset by losses at Kashiwa Reysol, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Avispa Fukuoka but again, goals could feature as Yokohama F Marinos have scored in six of their eight away games so far this season.
Therefore, both Gamba Osaka and Yokohama look set to score in this encounter.