Kamatamare Sanuki 3-4 FC Gifu — a seven-goal thriller at Pikara Stadium on 26 September 2026, as FC Gifu edged Kamatamare Sanuki in a J3 League encounter that swung one way and then the other before being settled in the dying minutes. The visitors raced into a two-goal lead, were pegged back twice, and finally found a winner deep into stoppage time to claim all three points in Marugame.

Match Overview

Few fixtures in the J3 League promise entertainment quite like this one delivered. FC Gifu arrived with ambitions at the top end of the table and started like a team determined to make an early statement, scoring twice inside the opening half hour. Kamatamare Sanuki, however, refused to fold, and by half-time the game was level at 2-2 after a remarkable comeback built on set pieces and sheer persistence.

The second half maintained the same frantic rhythm. Sanuki took the lead for the first time early in the period, Gifu responded, and with the match seemingly destined for a draw, the visitors struck again at the death to complete a 4-3 victory. It was the kind of match that will be remembered long after the league table is finalised.

Key Moments

• 11th minute — FC Gifu 1-0: A crisp move down the right ended with a first-time finish inside the penalty area to give the visitors the perfect start.
• 27th minute — FC Gifu 2-0: Gifu doubled the lead from distance, a swerving strike that beat the goalkeeper's dive.
• 35th minute — Sanuki pull one back: A corner from the left was met with a thumping header to reduce the deficit and lift the home crowd.
• 45+1st minute — Sanuki equalise: On the stroke of half-time a second set piece caused chaos in the Gifu box, and the ball was forced over the line to make it 2-2 at the break.
• 63rd minute — Sanuki lead for the first time: A quick counter-attack, finished low across the goalkeeper, completed a stunning turnaround at 3-2.
• 78th minute — Gifu level again: A patient passing sequence ended with a composed finish from the edge of the area to make it 3-3.
• 90+2nd minute — FC Gifu win it: With the game stretched and Sanuki pushing forward, Gifu broke in numbers and converted the decisive fourth goal to snatch the points.

Tactical Story

The contest was a classic clash of styles. FC Gifu looked the more technical side in possession, moving the ball quickly through midfield and attacking with numbers whenever they won it back. Their early two-goal cushion came from exactly that pattern — fast, direct combinations that pulled Sanuki's defensive line out of shape.

Kamatamare Sanuki's route back into the game was altogether more traditional and, for long stretches, far more effective. They attacked set pieces aggressively, won second balls in the box and refused to let the game drift after going two down. The two goals before half-time transformed the mood inside Pikara Stadium and forced Gifu to rethink their approach after the interval.

Crucially, Gifu's substitutions gave them a second wind in the closing stages. With Sanuki committing bodies forward in search of a winner of their own, the visitors found space in behind and exploited it. It was a lesson in the fine margins of the J3 League: Sanuki's ambition earned them three goals, but it also left the door open at the back.

Standout Performers

• FC Gifu's attacking midfield: Involved in almost every meaningful Gifu attack, linking play between the lines and providing the assist for the equaliser at 3-3.
• Gifu's goalscorer off the bench: Introduced in the second half, the substitute added fresh pace and delivered the stoppage-time winner.
• Sanuki's centre-back: A towering presence in both boxes, heading home one set-piece goal and winning countless aerial duels.
• Sanuki's midfield engine: Drove the comeback with relentless running and the assist for the third goal.
• Both goalkeepers: Made important saves in a game that could easily have finished with ten goals rather than seven.

J3 League Table Impact

The win is a significant one for FC Gifu, who keep pace with the leading group in the J3 League standings and protect their position in the promotion race. Away victories in high-scoring, high-pressure matches are often the difference between a genuine promotion push and a season of near misses, and this result carries real psychological value.

For Kamatamare Sanuki, the defeat is a painful one. Scoring three goals at home and still losing is the sort of outcome that can linger, and the defensive lapses that allowed Gifu to score four will be the focus of the post-match review. Even so, the fight show