On Saturday morning (GMT), Gamba Osaka host Yokohama at the Suita City Football Stadium, as the home side look to maintain their strong start to the new J-League season.
Gamba Osaka’s recent league form has certainly been positive. However, a 1-0 home defeat last time out against Kawasaki Frontale ended a five-game unbeaten run in the Japanese top-flight. The defeat ended a four-game winning run for the home side in the J-League.
The defeat was a rare low-scoring game for Tsuneyasu Miyamoto’s team, as seven of their previously ten league outings have produced over 2.5 goals. Their last three league matches have produced under 2.5 goals.
Gamba’s recent home form in the Japanese top-flight has been inconsistent, as they have won two and lost two of their last four home matches in the J-League. Although the home side has not always been prolific at home in the J-League, they have only failed to score once in their last 15 matches on home soil in the league.
The good start to the new league campaign means that Gamba Osaka are third-place in the table, six points adrift of leaders Kawasaki Frontale.
Yokohama FC have made a poor start to life back in the J-League, as they have taken just five points from their eight J-league games this season after an absence of 13 years from the Japanese top-flight.
A 2-0 home defeat against Sanfreece Hiroshima last time out means that the visitors have now failed to win in their previous five J-League games, having suffered four straight league defeats.
Yokohama have struggled for away wins in their last two spells in the J-League, winning just one of their last 14 games on their travels.
Forebet predicts that Gamba Osaka will record a victory in a low-scoring encounter to continue their decent start to their J-League campaign.