AFC Champions League Elite
Usami struck twice as Gamba overcame a difficult opening period to mark their return to continental competition for the first time since 2021 with three points.
#ACLElite | Gamba Osaka (JPN) 4-1 Cong An Ha Noi FC (VIE)
“We started off on the wrong foot but after we scored, we found our groove and started playing really well,” said Usami. “Now we have to take this momentum into the next game.
“I knew I had to do something today because it's a big game. I had an instinct that I would get a goal today.
“We're not a weak team but we needed this result to flick the switch in our mentality and hopefully we can use this result to keep pushing us.”
Head coach Tomokazu Myojin said Usami’s opening goal paved the way for a Gamba victory after the Japanese side had struggled in the early stages.
“We are really happy to win our first home game in the ACL Elite,” said Myojin. “There were a lot of fans cheering for us before the start of the game which gave us a lot of motivation.
“We played with a slow tempo at the start and we were struggling a bit but after we got the first goal, it gave the players confidence and we managed to get more goals.
“Unfortunately we did concede a goal and that's something we have to analyse because we wanted the clean sheet. We spoke as a team that we will take this competition very seriously. This is an opportunity for Gamba to show to the world.”
Cong An Ha Noi head coach Alexandre Polking took encouragement from his side’s performance despite seeing their maiden AFC Champions League Elite™ appearance end in defeat.
“I believe we played a good game against a good team. We need to be proud of the way we played because we tried to compete,” said Polking. “The result is very clear on Gamba's side but we had chances and did very well in the first half with a lot of intensity.
“The thing that we have to do well is to learn to cut down the mistakes because at this level, you cannot do that. We gave Gamba the first two goals then we tried to come back but we also opened space for them because we pushed too much.”
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