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Avispa Fukuoka will host Gamba Osaka at the Level5 Stadium on Saturday, with three points on the line in the J1 League.
The home side come into the game on the back of a 2-0 defeat away to Yokohama F. Marinos. Ado Onaiwu's 28th minute strike and Tatsuki Nara's own goal six minutes earlier gave Marinos all three points.
Gamba Osaka were on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat to Jeonbuk in their final AFC Champions League group stage game. Gustavo and Modou Barrow scored in each half to give the South Koreans all three points.
The defeat saw Osaka finish as runners-up in Group H with nine points but this was not enough for them to qualify as one of the best runners-up.
They will be back in league action this weekend where they currently sit in 19th spot but have five games in hand. Avispa Fukuoka are fairly comfortable in mid-table, having garnered 29 points from 21 matches.
Avispa Fukuoka vs Gamba Osaka Head-to-Head
Gamba Osaka have 12 wins from their 21 games played against Avispa Fukuoka. Four matches ended in a draw, while Fukuoka have registered five wins.
Their most recent meeting came in April and they could not be separated in a goalless draw on matchday eight of the current campaign.
Avispa Fukuoka form guide (all competitions): L-L-L-L-W
Gamba Osaka form guide (AFC Champions League): L-W-D-D-D
Avispa Fukuoka vs Gamba Osaka Team News
Avispa Fukuoka
There are no known injuries or suspension worries for the hosts.
Injuries: none
Suspension: none
Gamba Osaka
Haruto Shirai, Jun Ichimori and South Korean left-back Shin Won-ho have all been sidelined due to injuries.
Injured: Shin Won-ho, Haruto Shirai, Jun Ichimori
Suspension: none
Avispa Fukuoka vs Gamba Osaka Predicted XI
Avispa Fukuoka Predicted XI (4-4-2): Masaaki Murakami (GK); Naoki Wako, Douglas Grolli, Tatsuki Nara, Emil Salomonsson; Taro Sugimoto, Hiroyuki Mae, Takuya Shigehiro, Jordy Croux; John Mary, Bruno Mendes
Gamba Osaka Predicted XI (4-4-2): Masaaki Higashiguchi (GK); Yuya Fukuda, Young-Gwon Kim, Gen Shoji, Yota Sato; Kosuke Onose, Yosuke Ideguchi, Kohei Okuno, Shu Kurata; Takashi Usami, Patric
Avispa Fukuoka vs Gamba Osaka Prediction
The hosts have been far from impressive in recent weeks and could have their work cut out against a Gamba Osaka side that have lost just once in their last 10 games.
Fukuoka have struggled in front of goal but will be given chances against an Osaka side that struggle to shut out opposition attacks. We are predicting a narrow victory for the visitors, with goals to be scored at both ends.
Prediction: Avispa Fukuoka 1-2 Gamba Osaka
