Avispa Fukuoka vs Kyoto

High-flying Avispa Fukuoka will look to solidify their pursuit of an unlikely top-three J1 League finish when they meet relegation-battling Kyoto at Best Denki Stadium.

Despite being given minor chances of making a standout result this season, Avispa Fukuoka could be on the verge of something special after an enviable six-game unbeaten league run (W5, D1) fired them within a six-point distance of third-placed Gamba Osaka. With a game in hand, they’re a decent value to close the gap down the final stretch. The upcoming clash against Kyoto bodes well, with Fukuoka emerging victorious from five of the last six league duels between the teams (L1), including a goal-glutted 3-2 triumph in May’s reverse fixture. Shigetoshi Hasebe expects nothing less from his men this weekend after overseeing an impressive three-game winning home streak during which they scored 12 goals and conceded just one.

Meanwhile, Kyoto returned to winning ways last weekend with a narrow 1-0 triumph at Shonan Bellmare, putting a two-match winless run to bed (D1, L1). However, the visitors haven’t won back-to-back league outings since December 2023. That perhaps best explains their disappointing 19th place in the J1 League standings. But with a game in hand, a five-point deficit on 17th-placed Sagan Tosu looks bridgeable, especially considering 13 of Kyoto’s 18 league points this term have come on the road (72%). That said, before the abovementioned win at Shonan, Cho Kwi-jae’s team had lost three of their four previous league matches away from home (D1), conceding 2+ goals in each defeat.