Gamba Osaka will welcome Kawasaki Frontale to the Panasonic Stadium for a J1 League fixture on Sunday.
The hosts come into the clash on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Oita Trinita in the J League Cup on Wednesday. Shun Nagasawa scored a brace for the hosts, with Osaka twice coming from behind to leave the Showa Denko Dome with a point.
Kawasaki Frontale secured the maximum points in a league clash with Urawa Reds. Akhiro Ienaga and Miki Yamane scored second-half goals to help the defending champions come from behind and claim a 2-1 victory on home turf.
The win took them to the summit of the standings, having garnered nine points from four matches so far. Gamba Osaka sit in eighth spot and have three points to show for their efforts in two games.
Gamba Osaka vs Kawasaki Frontale Head-to-Head
This will be the 40th meeting between the two sides and Kawasaki Frontale have a marginally better record with 18 wins to their name.
Gamba Osaka were victorious on 16 occasions, while five matches ended in a share of the spoils.
Their most recent meeting came in November 2021. Leandro Damiao scored a brace to guide Frontale to a 4-1 victory on home turf.
Gamba Osaka form guide (all competitions): D-W-L-L
Kawasaki Frontale form guide (all competitions): W-W-L-W-L
Gamba Osaka vs Kawasaki Frontale Team News
Gamba Osaka
There are no known injuries or suspension concerns for the hosts.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Kawasaki Frontale
Jesiel and Shintaro Kurumaya are both unavailable due to injuries.
Injuries: Jesiel, Shintaro Kurumaya
Suspension: None
Gamba Osaka vs Kawasaki Frontale Predicted XI
Gamba Osaka Predicted XI (3-4-3): Kei Ishikawa (GK); Gen Shoji, Genta Miura, Ryu Takao; Keisuke Kurokawa, Shu Karata, Se-Jong Ju, Ko Yanagisawa; Takashi Usami, Kosuke Onose, Leandro Pereira
Kawasaki Frontale Predicted XI (4-3-3): Sung-Ryong Jung (GK); Kyohei Noborizato, Shogo Taniguchi, Kazuya Yamamura, Miki Yamane; Kento Tachibanada, Yasuto Wakizaka, Chanathip Songkrasin; Daiya Tono, Leandro Damiao, Akihiro Ienaga
Gamba Osaka vs Kawasaki Frontale Prediction
Kawasaki Frontale are the favorites to successfully retain their title and the defending champions have started the new campaign on a positive note.
Gamba Osaka, for their part, have blown hot and cold this season but are still capable of going toe-to-toe with the best on their day. Nevertheless, we are backing Frontale to secure a narrow victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Gamba Osaka 1-2 Kawasaki Frontale