Kashima Antlers v Gamba Osaka

Kashima Antlers vs Gamba Osaka Preview

Second placed Kashima Antlers gained a solid point on the road at Urawa Reds on the weekend in the Japanese top flight but it wasn't enough to replace Machida Zelvia at the top of the J-League table, while Gamba Osaka registered a 2-1 home win against Vissel Kobe which saw the visitors remain in third spot but they are now level on points with their upcoming hosts ahead of this important top three clash on Wednesday.

After producing a mixed bag of results at the start of this new J-League campaign which included collecting just four wins from their opening nine games in the domestic top flight which consisted of victories over Nagoya Grampus, Kawasaki Frontale, Jubilo Iwata and Kyoto Sanga, but also included four defeats, Ranko Popovic's side have got themselves on a more even keel in subsequent weeks.

Indeed, Kashima Antlers have put together a solid and impressive 10-game unbeaten sequence in the J-League which not only includes seven wins but has also helped lift the hosts up into contention for a possible AFC Champions League place as well.

This impressive unbeaten run is expected to be tested by fellow high-flying visitors Gamba Osaka though, while the goals market appeals for this fixture as no fewer than eight of Kashima Antlers' last 10 games have resulted in both teams scoring.

Gamba Osaka have experienced a very similar start to their J-League campaign as they managed to capture just four wins within their opening 11 games of this new domestic top flight season which came in the form of victories over the likes of Albirex Niigata, Jubilo Iwata, Sagan Tosu and Urawa Reds respectively, whilst also slipping to four defeats in the process.

However, Gamba Osaka have also clicked into gear in recent weeks as the visitors bring an excellent looking eight-match unbeaten run into this upcoming encounter at the Kashima Soccer Stadium which consists of seven wins and a draw; three of these seven wins have also been registered on their travels.

Wins on the road at Nagoya Grampus, Tokyo and Shonan Bellmare underline Gamba Osaka's threat away from home, while the goals market may also appeal here where Daniel Algaba's side are concerned as four of these last eight games have also resulted in both teams hitting the back of the net as well.

The bigger picture shows Gamba Osaka have managed to capture just four wins from their last 16 outings on the road, so they too are expected to face a tough examination at the Kashima Soccer Stadium on Wednesday.

Kashima Antlers v Gamba Osaka Verdict

Being a top three clash, it may be best to explore the goals markets here, especially as six of the last nine meetings between these two sides have seen both teams score (66.6%)

Therefore, our main bet will be BTTS Yes @ 1.92

Other side bets worth considering:

Draw @ 3.25

Correct Score: 1-1 @ 6.00