Gamba Osaka's Asian Champions League win may not be greeted with the same fanfare that heralded Urawa Reds' groundbreaking triumph in last year's edition, but then understated elegance has always been Gamba's style.
Urawa's victory over Iran's Sepahan last November marked the first time a Japanese club had won the continental title in its present incarnation, prompting an outpouring of pride and relief after years of underachievement.
That Urawa, the country's biggest and most aggressively marketed club, was the team to break the hoodoo meant the achievement was never likely to be played down, but Gamba deserves as much recognition after claiming the title with a 5-0 aggregate win over Adelaide United on Wednesday night.