Veteran forward Kazuma Watanabe came off the bench to score the winner as Gamba Osaka beat Consadole Sapporo 1-0 in the J. League first division on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet for the first time since July 22.
The 34-year-old entered in the 74th minute and needed only four minutes to break the deadlock, poaching from close range after his header from Hiroki Fujiharu's cross was pushed onto the post by Sapporo goalkeeper Takanori Sugeno.
"It was a good cross from Fujiharu and all I had to do was to get a touch on it. I'd like to have scored with the first attempt but I got lucky with the rebound," said Watanabe.