National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Cerezo Osaka or Gamba Osaka that keep their silverware dream alive.
Cerezo Osaka and Gamba Osaka should both be in good shape for this meeting, as there's been enough days for both of them to train and rest since their last matches.
Cerezo Osaka form and stats
Cerezo Osaka participated in J-League Cup the last season, where they reached the final.The total J-League statistics playing at home this season for Cerezo Osaka are 5-1-3 (wins-draws-losses).
The Cerezo club members enjoyed the previous match, watching their team host Vissel Kobe and win 2-1. The victory against Vissel Kobe came after Kitano's winning goal. The Cerezo Osaka manager Kogiku was very happy afterwards with the decision to bring on that player in the 78th minute. Funaki was "man of the match" with a rating of 7.55 out of 10. The defender Funaki served one assist, hit two key passes and won 5 of 11 duels.
Before that game, a home win hosting Cento Cuore Harima in the Emperor Cup. This is expected to be a close game, with Cerezo Osaka perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Cerezo Osaka as a small favourite), we find 7 games. Cerezo Osaka has won 4 of these, drawn 2 and lost 1.
Cerezo are certainly not overdoing their scoring at home in league matches, having created 13 goals in 9 games. 10 goals have been conceded.
Gamba Osaka form and stats
Gamba Osaka's mission in J-League Cup last season failed in the group stage.Gamba Osaka have only collected 7 points from their away games in the J-League, after 2-1-6 (9 played).
The followers enjoyed Gamba's previous fixture versus Tokyo, a 3-1 win played at home. Jebali, attacking player, was the top performer on the team in that game, scoring a match rating of 9.6. Jebali scored two goals, hit two key passes and dribled past the opponent 3 of 3 times.
A painful defeat as big favourites in the game before that, the Emperor Cup fixture home against Kochi United. So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Gamba Osaka playing away and similar expectations, we found 12 relevant matches. Results were 4 Gamba Osaka wins, 5 draws and 3 defeats.
Gamba Osaka have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 9 league away games 10 goals have been scored. For Gamba, more than two goals on average per game end up in their own net.
Head 2 Head
Cerezo Osaka have avoided defeat in the last 7 fixtures (5-2-0) versus Gamba Osaka.The previous head to head encounter ended Gamba Osaka - Cerezo 1-1, played this season.
Top Goalscorers
  L. de Sousa Pereira 5 goals |  J. Alano Nascimento 4 goals |  I. Jebali 4 goals |
Cerezo Osaka missing players
Gamba Osaka missing players
| Cerezo Osaka | Gamba Osaka | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 13 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 11 | 7 | Won | W | 3 | 7 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Drew | D | 2 | 6 | ||
| 9 | 5 | Lost | L | 7 | 12 | ||
| 30 | 19 | Scored | S | 13 | 31 | ||
| 27 | 13 | Conceded | C | 24 | 40 | ||
| 88% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 92% | 96% | ||
| 64% | 62% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 75% | 84% | ||
| 48% | 46% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 75% | 64% | ||
| 20% | 23% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 58% | 36% | ||
| 8% | 15% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 8% | 4% | ||
| 44% | 38% | BTTS | BTTS | 58% | 64% | ||
| 36% | 31% | Clean Sheets | C S | 8% | 12% | ||
| 32% | 31% | Failed to Score | F T | 42% | 28% | ||
| 4.7 | 5.1 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3.8 | 5.3 | ||
| 5.2 | 5.2 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.8 | 4.5 | ||
| 0.9 | 0.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.7 | 1.8 | ||
| 2 | 2 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 2 | ||
| 10.7 | 11.1 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 10.2 | 13 | ||
| 3.8 | 3.8 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.8 | 4.6 | ||
| 32% | 38% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 38% | 26% | ||
| 11.6 | 11.4 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 13.8 | 11.2 | ||
| 3.8 | 4.1 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 5.2 | 4.3 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Kyoto Sanga | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | Gamba Osaka | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | Tokyo | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 4 | Cerezo Osaka | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -5 | 5 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 17 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 36 |
| 2 | Nagoya Grampus | 17 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 35 |
| 3 | Vissel Kobe | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 20 | 33 |
| 4 | Urawa Reds | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 29 |
| 5 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 29 |
| 6 | Cerezo Osaka | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 29 |
| 7 | Kashima Antlers | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 28 |
| 8 | Consadole Sapporo | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 38 | 32 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 26 |
| 9 | Kawasaki Frontale | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 24 |
| 10 | Sagan Tosu | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 8 | -2 | 23 |
| 11 | Avispa Fukuoka | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | -5 | 20 |
| 12 | Tokyo | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 22 | 28 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 18 | -6 | 19 |
| 13 | Albirex Niigata | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 28 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -9 | 17 |
| 14 | Kyoto Sanga | 17 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 20 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 15 | -8 | 16 |
| 15 | Gamba Osaka | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 33 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 22 | -12 | 16 |
| 16 | Yokohama | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 35 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 16 | -22 | 13 |
| 17 | Shonan Bellmare | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 12 | -5 | 12 |
| 18 | Kashiwa Reysol | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 28 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 11 | -12 | 12 |
