On August 7th at 6:00 PM, Kashima Antlers will host relegation-threatened Sagan Tosu at the Ibaraki Kashima Soccer Stadium in the 25th round of the J1 League.
Kashima Antlers returned to winning ways in the 24th round of the J1 League before the break, defeating FC Tokyo 2-1 at home. Right-wingers Shintaro Nago and Kōji Konno scored goals, dashing FC Tokyo’s hopes of securing points. In the match against FC Tokyo, Kashima Antlers’ former captain Kento Mitsuda, who returned in the summer transfer window, came on as a substitute in the second half and played a crucial role in the midfield, intercepting several counter-attacks from the opposition. Regarding the victory, Kashima Antlers coach Boško Gjurovski expressed his appreciation in the post-match press conference: “I think the entire team played very well. We can beat any opponent regardless of the circumstances. We have shown our best, and I am very satisfied.”
Currently, Kashima Antlers are in 3rd place in the J1 League standings with a record of 13 wins, 5 draws, and 6 losses. They are 5 points behind leaders Machida Zelvia with 14 rounds remaining in the league, leaving them with plenty of room to catch up. Furthermore, in their 12 home games this season, Kashima Antlers have achieved an undefeated record of 8 wins and 4 draws. Their attack averages 1.6 goals per game, while their defense concedes less than 1 goal on average, making them an impressive force. However, their morale suffered a blow in the pre-season friendly match, where they lost 1-5 to Brighton with their full starting lineup.
In terms of team composition, Kashima Antlers’ East European forward Milosavljević has officially returned from injury in the match against Brighton. However, their backup striker, Kavrič, had to leave the last league match due to injury and is unlikely to play in this game. In the transfer window, Kashima Antlers have not made any other signings besides Kento Mitsuda, and their current squad structure has stabilized.
Sagan Tosu, the visitors, suffered a heavy 1-4 defeat to traditional powerhouse Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the last league match. They managed to equalize in the early stages of the second half through the individual brilliance of their foreign player Marcelo. However, Sanfrecce Hiroshima made substitutions, turning the tide of the game. Sagan Tosu, with their weakened defense, could not withstand the onslaught from Sanfrecce Hiroshima and conceded two goals towards the end of the game, ultimately losing all hope of securing points. Regarding this painful loss, Sagan Tosu coach Ken’ta Kawai admitted that he understands the tactical discrepancies between the two teams’ offense and defense, and that there is a significant gap in their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Currently, Sagan Tosu are in 19th place in the J1 League standings with a record of 7 wins, 2 draws, and 15 losses. They are one point away from escaping the relegation zone, and their negative goal difference of 13 puts them at a disadvantage in the relegation battle. In their 11 away games this season, Sagan Tosu have only managed to earn 10 points from 3 wins, 1 draw, and 7 losses, conceding an average of almost 2 goals per game. Their away performance is not worth overestimating. During the break, Sagan Tosu were scheduled to play a commercial match against Spanish club Sevilla, but they canceled the event due to their relegation concerns, disappointing many local fans.
In terms of team composition, Sagan Tosu will be without the help of attackers Kazuma Honda and Yoshiki Narahara in this game, as they are likely to miss the rest of the season. Additionally, Sagan Tosu also lost three key midfield and forward players in the transfer window – Taichi Kikuchi, Yōichi Naganuma, and Kōhei Tesuka. Their only signings were Kenshō Nishiya from Fujieda MYFC and Silva, a fringe player from FC Tokyo, making their summer transfer window a case of more going out than coming in.
In their previous 20 encounters, Kashima Antlers hold the psychological advantage with 10 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses. In this round of the league, Kashima Antlers will aim to continue their pursuit of Machida Zelvia with the advantage of playing at home. Will Sagan Tosu, desperate for survival, be able to escape with a draw after losing so many players in the transfer window?
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