Gamba Osaka - Adelaide United Preview

Michael Huguenin

Gamba Osaka - Adelaide United Preview image

An undermanned Adelaide United will face a rampant Gamba Osaka in Japan on Tuesday night with both club's AFC Champions League (ACL) hopes hanging in the balance.

Adelaide will be without suspended trio Dylan McGowan, Taylor Regan and Riley McGree at Suita City Football Stadium, with the former duo's absence likely to be particularly significant after Gamba thrashed Omiya Ardija 6-0 on Friday.

Gamba coach Kenta Hasegawa switched from his normal 3-5-2 formation to a 4-4-2 against Omiya and it will be interesting to see which set-up the ex-Japan international chooses for Adelaide's visit.

The Reds haven't played since April 15 when they hosted Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League's final round, so should be well rested for the Group H fixture.

Riley McGree Jeju United v Adelaide United AFC Champions League 11042017

Riley McGree, Adelaide United

Adelaide surged into second in Group H a fortnight ago on the back of a 3-1 win away to Jeju United and another strong performance on the road could put them on track to advance to the ACL's Round of 16.

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Gamba have lost their past three ACL games after starting the continental campaign with a 3-0 win over the Reds at Coopers Stadium.

With Iacopo La Rocca - the Italian defender is not in Adelaide's ACL squad due to import restrictions - and Tarek Elrich (knee) also absent, coach Guillermo Amor has a tough task in shoring up his defence.

Regular right-back Michael Marrone has played centre-back before and could combine there with either Spanish midfielder Isaias or youngster Ben Warland.

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Mark Ochieng would be a natural selection at right-back, while Kim Jae-sung will certainly come into midfield to cover the absence of McGree and Marcelo Carrusca - the latter misses out for the same reason as La Rocca.

Jesse Makarounas and George Mells could also be involved in midfield.

Gamba's main absentee is Brazilian forward Ademilson due to a thigh injury.

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While Hasegawa's side were brilliant in the J.League's latest round, that was only their second win in their last seven matches in all competitions.

Gamba have also come under fire over the past week after one of the club's supporter groups waved a flag bearing a resemblance to a Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) symbol in a derby against Cerezo Osaka on April 16.

The culpable group have been banned from Gamba's matches.

If Adelaide win in Osaka they will move four points ahead of the J.League club with one round remaining in the ACL's group stage.

The Reds (4 points) sit second behind Jiangsu Suning (12), who have already qualified for the next round, with Jeju in third on head-to-head record with Adelaide and Gamba (3) at the bottom.

 

Michael Huguenin