Yokohama F. Marinos vs Kashiwa Reysol

Yokohama F. Marinos and Kashiwa Reysol are set to trade tackles at the Nissan Stadium in contrasting J1 League circumstances.

Yokohama’s J1 League title defense is going according to plan as they begin this round level on points with table-topping Vissel Kobe, albeit the latter has a game in hand. Since a 2-1 loss at Albirex Niigata in mid-May, the hosts have gone into overdrive, racking up three straight league victories by an aggregate score of 7-2. Delivering action from the get-go, they opened the scoring in the first half in all three wins, including a first-minute opener in a 3-2 triumph at Tokyo last time out. Back to the Nissan Stadium, where they’ve yet to lose a league match this season (W5, D2), Kevin Muscat’s men are odds-on favorites to beat Kashiwa as they did via an emphatic 4-0 scoreline in this corresponding fixture last season.

In the meantime, Kashiwa’s woeful run of six consecutive winless J1 League matches (D2, L4) in the build-up to this trip has massively contributed to their poor position in the standings. Level on points (12) with rock-bottom Yokohama, the visitors have a slightly superior goal difference for starting this round outside the relegation spot. But unless they find a way to defy a wayward away record in this season’s J1 League (W1, D2, L4), they could finish this matchday nailed to the bottom. A lack of firepower up top has seen Kashiwa net just three goals on their seven top-flight travels this term, averaging 0.42 goals per game. Such an underwhelming scoring record explains why they’ve only managed one point from seven away league outings after conceding the opening goal (D1, L5).