Osaka: Adelaide United travelled to Japan on Tuesday knowing they had to get a result against Gamba Osaka to keep their 2017 AFC Champions League Group H qualification hopes alive.
After going 0-2 down inside the opening 13 minutes it looked as though Adelaide’s campaign may be coming to an end, but an inspired turnaround meant they left Suita City Football Stadium with a 3-3 draw.
Isaias Influential
Key to Adelaide’s turnaround was Spanish midfielder Isaias (pictured right), who was able to exert his influence in midfield and stymie the Gamba attack.
As the graphic below displays, Isaias’ defensive efforts – intercepts, recoveries, tackles won – highlight how damaging he was in breaking up the hosts’ attack, which allowed Adelaide to get more control in midfield.
Isaias dominant in midfield
It wasn’t just his ability to break up the play that was telling, but also how he was able to set up the visitors’ counter attack. In total he attempted 69 passes, with an accuracy of 85.5%.
From that they were able to begin their attack from a better position in the middle of the park, often catching the Gamba defence unorganised with plenty of space for the speedy duo of Jordan O’Doherty and Nikola Mileusnic to advance forward.
Diawara the difference
While Isaias was influential, it was Senegalese striker Baba Diawara that was the difference for Guillermo Amor’s team.
The striker provides a focal point to Adelaide’s attack, and his clever hold up play brings others into the game. This was on full display for the visitors’ second goal when the striker cleverly controlled a long ball from Korean midfielder Kim Jae-sung, before laying the ball off for O’Doherty to fire home.
Diawara possesses an all-round game, which makes him tough to mark for defenders. His one goal and two assists last night showcased all of his abilities – running at defenders, holding off defenders and his aerial threat – and it was a threat Gamba failed to cover and for that they paid a price.
Doan a star in the making
It wasn’t all bad news for Gamba, however, with the performance of 2016 AFC Youth Player of the Year Ritsu Doan particularly pleasing for Kenta Hasegawa.
Doan proved a constant threat down the right hand side for Adelaide, and as his heat map shows that’s where he targeted a lot of his play. Despite being a natural left footer, Doan looked comfortable out on the right linking up with Oh Jae-suk and Yosuke Ideguchi.
Doan spends much of his time on the right
Where he proved particularly dangerous was when he was around the box and allowed to cut in on his left foot. It was through this he was able to score his wonder strike early in the first half and Adelaide appeared not to learn their lesson, as he was allowed to do the same again in the second half, this time shooting just centimetres wide.
Doan's shots from distance
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com