Ratchaburi FC Hold Gamba Osaka to 1-1 Draw in ACL Two Quarter-Final

SUITA, Japan – Harimau Malaya defender Daniel Ting delivered a Man of the Match-worthy performance on Wednesday, scoring a stunning debut goal to help Thailand’s Ratchaburi FC secure a vital 1-1 draw against Gamba Osaka in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) quarter-finals.

Despite Gamba Osaka dominating possession at the Suita City Football Stadium, the night belonged to the visitors’ new recruit, who silenced the home crowd early on.

Daniel Ting, who recently joined "The Dragons" on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), wasted no time in making his mark. In the 18th minute, Ting capitalised on a lapse in the Gamba midfield. After robbing Makoto Mitsuta of the ball, the versatile defender surged into the left side of the area and unleashed a brilliant, curling strike that flew past veteran keeper Masaaki Higashiguchi into the top right corner.

The goal marked Ting’s first ever strike for Ratchaburi and set the tone for a resilient defensive display.

Stung by the early deficit, the J1 League giants threw everything at the Thai side. Gamba recorded a staggering 24 shots and maintained 65% possession, but they found Ratchaburi’s backline marshaled by Ting and goalkeeper Kampol Pathomakkakul nearly impossible to breach.

Ting’s defensive contributions were just as vital as his goal; he was seen making several key interceptions and a goal-saving block on Takeru Kishimoto in the second half.

The Japanese side’s persistence finally paid off in the 84th minute. Substitute Gaku Nawata, who had only been on the pitch for 12 minutes, latched onto a cross from Kishimoto to fire home the equalizer, sparing Gamba’s blushes at home.