The 2015 Gamba Osaka season was Gamba Osaka's 22nd season in the J.League Division 1 and 28th overall in the Japanese top flight. It also includes the 2015 J.League Cup, 2015 Emperor's Cup, 2015 AFC Champions League, 2015 Japanese Super Cup and the 2015 Suruga Bank Championship.

Transfers

In

PlayerTransferred fromFeeDateSource 24 Shingo Akamine Vegalta SendaiUnknownDec 201418 Yōsuke Fujigaya Júbilo IwataFree transferJan 201533 Shōhei Ogura Yokohama F. MarinosUnknownDec 201420 Shun Nagasawa Shimizu S-PulseUnknown9 Jul 2015

Out

PlayerTransferred toFeeDateSource Shota Kawanishi Montedio YamagataUnknownDec 2014 Kohei Kawata Ventforet KofuUnknownDec 2014 Atsushi Kimura retiredUnknownDec 2014 Naoki Ogawa Fujieda MYFCLoanDec 2014 Kenya Okazaki Ehime FCLoanDec 2014 Akihiro Sato Tokushima VortisUnknownDec 2014 Yuto Uchida Tokushima VortisLoanDec 2014 Shōhei Ogura Montedio YamagataLoanAug 2015

First team squad

Squad no. Name Nationality Position(s) Since Date of birth (age) Signed from Games played Goals scored Goalkeepers 1 Masaaki Higashiguchi GK 2014 Albirex Niigata 50 0 16 Ken Tajiri GK 2013 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 18 Yōsuke Fujigaya GK 2015 Júbilo Iwata 336 0 31 Mizuki Hayashi GK 2015 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 Defenders 3 Takaharu Nishino CB 2012 Gamba Osaka Youth 54 6 4 Hiroki Fujiharu LB 2011 Osaka University of H&SS 145 6 5 Daiki Niwa CB 2012 Avispa Fukuoka 82 6 6 Kim Jung-ya CB 2014 Sagan Tosu 31 0 8 Keisuke Iwashita CB 2012 Shimizu S-Pulse 77 4 14 Koki Yonekura RB / RM 2014 JEF United 35 3 22 Oh Jae-suk RB / LB 2013 Gangwon FC 42 0 30 So Hirao RB 2015 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 35 Ryo Hatsuse CB 2015 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 Midfielders 7 Yasuhito Endō (captain) CM / AM 2001 Kyoto Purple Sanga 556 112 10 Takahiro Futagawa RM / LM 1999 Gamba Osaka Youth 587 86 11 Shu Kurata LW / AM 2012 Cerezo Osaka 149 28 13 Hiroyuki Abe RM 2012 Kwansei Gakuin University 96 18 15 Yasuyuki Konno CB / DM / CM 2012 FC Tokyo 122 8 17 Tomokazu Myojin DM / CM 2006 Kashiwa Reysol 338 19 19 Kotaro Omori RW / LW 2011 Gamba Osaka Youth 63 8 21 Yōsuke Ideguchi DM / CM 2014 Gamba Osaka Youth 2 0 26 Naoya Senoo CM 2015 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 27 Tatsuya Uchida DM / CM 2011 Gamba Osaka Youth 68 1 28 Shota Yomesaka CM 2014 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 33 Shōhei Ogura RB / DM / CM 2015 Yokohama F. Marinos 0 0 38 Ritsu Doan RM 2015 Gamba Osaka Youth 0 0 Strikers9Lins CF 2014 Criciúma 39 8 20 Shun Nagasawa CF 2015 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 0 24 Shingo Akamine CF 2015 Vegalta Sendai 0 0 29 Patric CF 2014 Atlético Goianiense 27 16 39 Takashi Usami CF / AM 2013 Hoffenheim 118 59

Pre-season friendlies

DateOpponentsH / AResultF-AScorersAttendance24 January 2015PersijaA4–0Usami Lins Patric

Japanese Super Cup

Gamba started their domestic season on 28 February 2015 with a 2–0 victory over the 2014 J.League runners-up, the Urawa Red Diamonds in Yokohama. Both Gamba's goals came in the second half and were scored by Takashi Usami and Patric. Soccerway Game Report

RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultF-AScorersAttendanceFinal28 February 2015Urawa Red DiamondsN2–0Usami Patric 47,666

J.League 1

Starting from the 2015 season, it was announced that the J.League would again change back to a two-stage "mini-league" (last held in 2004). The winners of each stage and top three clubs of the aggregate table subsequently qualify for the Championship. First stage

RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition17 March 2015FC TokyoH2–2Patric 45'+1, Usami (pen.) 52'18,33210th214 March 2015Sagan TosuA0–117,69513th322 March 2015Ventforet KofuA2–0Abe 62', Usami 64'13,0479th43 April 2015Nagoya GrampusH3–1Usami 45'+1, 49' Konno 80'10,7025th512 April 2015Shimizu S-PulseA3–2Usami 30', 80', Patric 51'16,0273rd618 April 2015Shonan BellmareA2–0Usami 26', Endō (pen.) 90'14,5382nd726 April 2015Albirex NiigataH2–1Usami 48', Patric 84'17,4172nd829 April 2015Matsumoto YamagaH1–0Usami 16'17,1732nd92 May 2015Urawa Red DiamondsA0–153,1483rd1010 May 2015Sanfrecce HiroshimaA1–0Lins 60'17,3723rd1116 May 2015Kawasaki FrontaleH1–1Usami 43'18,8422nd1230 May 2015Yokohama F. MarinosA1–1Patric 90+5'35,0444th133 June 2015Kashima AntlersH2–0Konno 41', Endō (pen.) 52'13,1102nd147 June 2015Vissel KobeH0–018,4374th1520 June 2015Vegalta SendaiH1–1Konno 33'14,6164th1623 June 2015Kashiwa ReysolA0–19,9974th1727 June 2015Montedio YamagataA3–1Usami 50', 59', 62'14,3204th

Match day line-ups

The following players appeared for Gamba Osaka during the 2015 J.League 1 First Stage:

Player appearances – 2015 J1 League First Stage Round Opponent GK RB LB CB CB RM LM CM CM FW FW 1 FC Tokyo Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Omori Kurata Endō Myojin Patric Lins Yonekura 2 Sagan Tosu Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Omori Kurata Endō Myojin Patric Usami Lins Abe Yonekura 3 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Omori Endō Myojin Patric Usami Kurata Konno Akamine 4 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Lins Omori Ogura 5 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Futagawa Omori 6 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Kim Abe Omori Endō Konno Patric Kurata Akamine Ogura 7 Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Lins Usami Yonekura Omori Patric 8 Higashiguchi Fujiharu Niwa Kim Abe Omori Endō Ideguchi Patric Lins Konno Ogura 9 Higashiguchi Ogura Fujiharu Niwa Kim Omori Kurata Endō Konno Usami Lins Abe Akamine 10 Higashiguchi Niwa Fujiharu Kim Iwashita Abe Omori Endō Konno Usami Kurata Patric Ogura 11 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Omori Endō Konno Patric Lins Kurata Akamine 12 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Kim Omori Kurata Endō Myojin Lins Usami Abe Patric Ogura 13 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Doan 14 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Lins Omori Akamine 15 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Doan Omori Endō Patric Usami Lins Abe Akamine 16 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Omori Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Lins Abe Akamine 17 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Kim Myojin Omori

= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card. Second stage

RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition1811 July 2015Ventforet KofuH2–1Patric 34', Usami (pen.) 90'14,3646th1915 July 2015Nagoya GrampusA2–3Omori 8', Patric 30'13,4228th2019 July 2015Yokohama F. MarinosH2–2Patric 5', Usami 68'16,7877th2122 July 2015Sagan TosuH1–1Endō (pen.) 39'11,1564th2225 July 2015Vissel KobeA2–1Endō 12', Usami 77'20,6793rd2329 July 2015Albirex NiigataA2–2Yonekura 47', Endō (pen.) 54'19,6505th2416 August 2015FC TokyoA1–2Patric 47'37,97810th2522 August 2015Shimizu S-PulseH1–0Patric 31'15,3338th2630 August 2015Shonan BellmareH1–0Kurata 9'14,9855th2712 September 2015Kashima AntlersA2–1Usami (pen.) 29', 39'22,3805th2820 September 2015Matsumoto YamagaA1–1Kurata (pen.) 90+3'18,0525th2926 September 2015Kashiwa ReysolH3–1Abe 34', 37', Usami 60'16,4384th304 October 2015Kawasaki FrontaleA3–5Patric 42', 66', Kurata 71'24,3008th3117 October 2015Urawa Red DiamondsH2–1Abe 7', Nagasawa 59'18,6384th3225 October 2015Vegalta SendaiA3–1Patric 21' Kurata 36', 62'19,2634th337 November 2015Sanfrecce HiroshimaH0–217,4354th3422 November 2015Montedio YamagataH4–0Omori 61', 63', Nagasawa 64', Yonekura 66'18,2193rd Match day line-ups The following players appeared for Gamba Osaka during the 2015 J.League 1 Second stage:

Player appearances – 2015 J1 League Second stage Opponent GK RB LB CB CB RM LM CM CM FW FW 18 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Lins Omori Akamine 19 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Lins Abe Nagasawa 20 Higashiguchi Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Kurata Endō Konno Usami Abe Yonekura Nagasawa 21 Higashiguchi Yonekura Oh Niwa Kim Abe Kurata Myojin Usami Fujiharu Lins Konno 22 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Omori Endō Konno Lins Kurata Myojin Patric 23 Higashiguchi Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Myojin Omori Oh 24 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Usami Lins Omori Akamine 25 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Kim Omori Kurata Endō Konno Patric Usami Lins Abe Ideguchi 26 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Omori Endō Konno Usami Kim Abe Ideguchi 27 Higashiguchi Fujiharu Niwa Iwashita Abe Kurata Endō Konno Patric Kim Lins Ideguchi 28 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Kim Abe Endō Ideguchi Konno Akamine Usami Omori Patric 29 Higashiguchi Yonekura Oh Niwa Iwashita Kurata Endō Konno Patric Myojin Omori Akamine 30 Higashiguchi Yonekura Oh Niwa Iwashita Abe Omori Endō Konno Usami Lins Kurata Myojin 31 Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Nishino Endō Ideguchi Konno Usami Kim Omori Nagasawa 32 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Nishino Abe Endō Konno Usami Kim Ideguchi Akamine 33 Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Endō Kurata Ideguchi Konno Usami Abe Fujigaya Omori 34 Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Nishino Abe Omori Endō Konno Kurata Usami Futagawa Yonekura Nagasawa

= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card. Overall standings

Championship stage

Gamba's 3rd-place finish in the overall standings for J.League 1 in 2015 saw them paired against the Urawa Red Diamonds at the semi-final stage. Due to Urawa's higher placing, the match was played at Saitama Stadium 2002, Urawa's home ground. A 3–1 win after extra-time set up a two-legged final against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

RoundDateOpponentsH / AResultF-AScorersAttendanceSemi-Final28 November 2015Urawa Red DiamondsA3–1 aetKonno 47', Fujiharu 118', Patric 120+1'40,696Final2 December 2015Sanfrecce HiroshimaH2–3Nagasawa 60', Konno 82'17,844Final5 December 2015Sanfrecce HiroshimaA1–1Konno 27'36,609

Match day line-ups

The following players appeared for Gamba Osaka during the J.League 1 Championship Stage:

Player appearances – 2015 J1 League Round Opponent GK RB LB CB CB RM LM CM CM FW FW SF Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Nishino Omori Endō Konno Usami Kurata Yonekura Ideguchi F Higashiguchi Oh Fujiharu Niwa Nishino Abe Endō Konno Usami Kurata Yonekura Patric F Higashiguchi Yonekura Fujiharu Niwa Abe Endō Nagasawa Usami Kurata Ideguchi Patric

= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card.

AFC Champions League

As 2014 J.League Division 1 champions, Gamba qualified for the 2015 AFC Champions League. This was their 7th appearance in the competition and their first since 2012. They were drawn into Group F along with Buriram United of Thailand, Guangzhou R&F of China and Seongnam of South Korea. Gamba finished top of the group and along with Seongnam qualified for the Round of 16. As Group F winners they were paired against the runner-up of Group H who were FC Seoul. Gamba defeated Seoul 6–3 on aggregate and were paired with yet another Korean side, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the quarter-finals. Following a scoreless draw in the first leg in Korea, Gamba sealed a dramatic 3–2 victory at home, with defender Koki Yonekura netting the winner in the 93rd minute to ensure their progression to the semi-finals where they were paired with Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande. A 2–1 defeat in China followed by 0–0 draw at home saw Gamba fall at the semi-final stage.