At 17:00 on August 3rd, in the 25th round of J2 League, Yokohama FC will host Chiba City at Mitsuzawa Stadium.
Yokohama FC suffered a 2-2 draw away to relegation team Mito Hollyhock in the 24th round of J2 League on July 14th. They were once 2 goals behind in the second half, but substitute attackers Ito Sho and Takahashi Riku came on and scored two goals in a short period of time to equalize. In the final moments, Takahashi Riku even had a chance to win the game, but unfortunately failed to grasp it. Speaking about their hard-earned draw away, Yokohama FC head coach Shimoda Shuhei said after the game: “I’m disappointed, but I can’t undo it. We got a point back from being two goals behind, which is very valuable, so we hope to continue to score points in the remaining games.”
Currently on the J2 League table, Yokohama FC are still in 3rd place with 15 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses. They are only 1 point behind the direct promotion zone, and still have a chance to compete for the top two places this season. In their 11 home games this season, Yokohama FC have recorded a remarkable record of 8 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, averaging less than 0.6 goals conceded per game. Their defensive ability is among the best in the league. In their last 3 home games, Yokohama FC have beaten Ehime FC, Kumamoto Red and Akita Blue Blitz, 3 mid-table teams, and have performed relatively steadily.
In terms of the line-up, Yokohama FC’s striker Mori Kaido, midfielder Mita Keiki, winger Arai Mizuki and Vietnamese attacker Nguyen Cong Phong will all miss the game due to injury. The absence of these four players will have some impact on the team’s bench depth. However, the good news is that Yokohama FC’s new signings for the transfer window, João Paulo and Michel Lima, are now eligible to play. Both players completed their registration during the off-season, with João Paulo scoring 5 goals and providing 3 assists in the Portuguese Liga last season, demonstrating his impressive performance.
Chiba City, playing away, suffered a shocking 0-2 loss to Kumamoto Red in their last game before the break. Their defensive line was very loose in the match, even allowing 16-year-old prodigy Shindai Keito to score his second goal of the season from a set piece. This was a major disappointment for Chiba City, who are aiming for promotion. Reflecting on their surprise defeat at home, Chiba City head coach Kobayashi Yoshiyuki analyzed the reasons for their failure: “I think we played well in the first half. It would have been good if we could have scored a goal at that time. In the second half, our defensive intensity on the flanks was a problem, and we also conceded a goal from a set piece, which is difficult for us to accept.”
Currently on the J2 League table, Chiba City are currently in 7th place with 11 wins, 3 draws and 10 losses. They are 2 points behind the playoff zone, but their 14 goal difference gives them a natural advantage. However, in their 12 away games this season, Chiba City have recorded a record of 4 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses, scoring fewer points than at home. They have conceded an average of 1.25 goals per game, which is not ideal. In their last two league away games, Chiba City have lost surprisingly to Shimizu S-Pulse and Tochigi SC, performing rather sluggishly.
In terms of the line-up, Chiba City’s starting right-back Takahashi Kazuki will be available for selection after serving a suspension. However, the club’s defenders Kubo Niwa Ryota and Suzuki Daisuke are still unavailable, while substitute striker Sakuma Taiichi has suffered a season-ending injury. During the transfer window, Chiba City signed Gamba Osaka winger Sugayama Naoki on loan. The player will be eligible to play in this round of the league.
In the 20 previous meetings between the two sides, Yokohama FC have a record of 6 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses, placing them at a disadvantage. In this round of the league, Yokohama FC are aiming to secure all three points with home advantage to move into the direct promotion zone. Can Chiba City, who also have promotion pressure, escape with a point away from home?
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