Gamba set for title, Club World Cup showdown
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| AFP |
Japanese title holders Gamba Osaka broke Urawa Reds hearts once again after beating their rivals 3-1 in extra time and reaching the J.League championship final.
Late goals from Hiroki Fujiharu and Brazilian Patric sent the 2014 treble winners through to the two-legged championship final against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who qualified directly after finishing with most points over the season's two stages. The winner will appear at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Former Japan defender Yasuyuki Konno silenced the crowd in Saitama by firing the opener at the start of the second half before Reds substitute Zlatan Ljubijankic headed the equaliser from close range on 72 minutes.
But Fujiharu celebrated his 27th birthday with a superb volley two minutes before the end of extra time and Patric added insult to injury for the home side, whose players slumped to the turf at the final whistle in scenes reminiscent of their capitulation in last year's title run-in.
Gamba host the first leg of the final on Wednesday before the second leg in Hiroshima on 5 December. "Both teams were really up for it and we were a bit lucky to get the win," said Gamba manager Kenta Hasegawa. "It will be important to score first against Sanfrecce at home. Hopefully we can draw them into an open game."