Gamba Osaka beat FC Tokyo to J-League Championship play-off spot in epic last day

Gamba Osaka 4 Montedio Yamagata 0 By Michael McCann Match in a minute from the Osaka Expo 1970 Stadium where Gamba Osaka snatching the third and final J-League Championship play-off spot from FC Tokyo on a dramatic final day of fixtures. Osaka scored four goals across just five second-half minutes to beat already-relegated Montedio Yamagata, whilst Tokyo could only draw 0-0 at home against Sagan Tosu. Osaka started the day two points behind Tokyo and two behind them on goal difference but a blitz after the interval here helped them get the win necessary to seal a semi-final against Urawa Reds. The winner of that will face Sanfreece Hiroshima, who finished top and are the favourites to seal the Championship, after impressively win all eight of their away games in the J-Leagues second stage. Visitors Yamagata had actually been the better side during the first-half of this game, but the second-half was a totally different story. Whilst Tokyo struggled to score against Tosu Osaka turned on the style with just after the hour to notch four times in five minutes, starting with a brace from Kotaro Omori. The midfielder firstly tucked in neatly after a mistake from the visiting goalkeeper, before tapping in after a precise pass from striker Takashi Usami. Another assist from Usami then came as his cross was diverted in through a neat flick header from Shun Nagasawa, whilst a Kokoi Yonekura header from a corner made it four. The ground was then glued to events in Tokyo, having to wait for three agonising minutes after the final whistle to get confirmation that Tokyo had drawn, and that Gamba had stolen third place at the death.