J.League wrap: Gamba power to big win

Gamba Osaka overran Sanfrecce Hiroshima 5-3 in J.League action on Sunday, while Vegalta Sendai suffered a setback at Shimizu.

Five different goalscorers found the net as Gamba recorded their third win in a row, moving to fifth in the standings ahead of back-to-back matches at Urawa Red Diamonds and Omiya Ardija.

Defender Sota Nakazawa opened Gamba’s account in the third minute at the Osaka Expo ’70 Stadium, and Japan international Yasuhito Endo made it 2-0 with his third goal in as many games on 34 minutes.

Hiroshima striker Koki Morisaki ensured the visitors would enter the break one goal in arrears with a strike in first-half injury time, but Gamba needed just 10 minutes from the restart to find the net again through Shoki Hirai.

Koji Makajima kept Hiroshima in touch with an answering goal in the 74th minute, but back-to-back strikes from Hayato Sasaki (78) and Kazumichi Takagi (85) left the visitors reeling.

Former Dinamo Tbilisi midfielder David Mujiri reduced the deficit in injury time, though it would amount to little as Hiroshima slumped to their fourth loss of the season.

Meanwhile, Vegalta Sendai dropped out of the Champions League places with a 1-0 loss at Shimizu S-Pulse.

It took until the 81st minute for Alex Brosque to open the scoring, the Australian striker ensuring Shimizu would take the three points with his fifth goal of the season.

Yokohama F Marinos leapt to second on the table with a fighting 2-0 victory at struggling Montedio Yamagata.

Japan international Yuzo Kurihara (44) and Kazuma Watanabe (90) scored either side of the half-time whistle for the visitors, handing Yamagata their ninth loss of the fledgling campaign.

Yamagata are mired in 17th on the table with just eight points from their first 13 games.

Finally, Omiya Ardija fought out a 1-1 draw at home to Vissel Kobe, with Keigo Higashi (83) cancelling out Yoshito Okubo’s 53rd-minute strike.