On August 11th at 6:30 PM, Yokohama F. Marinos will host defending champions Vissel Kobe in the 26th round of the J.League.
Yokohama F. Marinos narrowly defeated bottom-placed Consadole Sapporo 3-2 in the 25th round of the J.League this week. Brazilian forward Yan Matheus was in great form, scoring three goals. However, the team’s defense showed weakness, conceding several shots from Sapporo. In the final moments against Consadole Sapporo, the Yokohama F. Marinos goal was under constant threat. It was only thanks to goalkeeper Popó’s last-minute save that the team avoided a potentially embarrassing result against a weaker opponent.
Currently, Yokohama F. Marinos is ranked 9th in the J.League standings with 10 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses. They are currently on a four-game winning streak across all competitions. However, they are still 10 points behind the top teams and can only realistically aim for a Champions League spot this season. In their 12 home games this season, Yokohama F. Marinos has recorded a modest 5 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses, conceding an average of 1.25 goals per game. This is a far cry from their formidable home form last season, where they conceded less than one goal per game. The team’s former manager, Kevin Muscat, attributed the decline to the exhaustion caused by playing in multiple competitions. However, in their last three home games against Sapporo, Newcastle United, and Kashima Antlers, Yokohama F. Marinos managed to secure victories, suggesting an improvement in their attacking prowess.
In terms of lineup, Yokohama F. Marinos will be without the services of full-back Katsuhiro Eguchi for this game. Meanwhile, full-back Taiki Watanabe, who had previously missed games due to a concussion, has returned to training this week and could be available for selection. Additionally, there are rumors circulating about the potential transfer of Yokohama F. Marinos’ foreign players Matheus and Élber. Sources suggest that Brazilian teams are hoping to bring the two back to the Campeonato Brasileiro before the transfer window closes.
Vissel Kobe suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to their arch-rivals, Kawasaki Frontale, in their last league match. The team was subjected to some highly controversial refereeing decisions. In fact, Rakuten Group director Hiroshi Mikitani took to social media to express his outrage. During the game, Vissel Kobe winger Nana Iino went down in the box after feeling contact but was shown a second yellow card and sent off for simulation. In the second half, Vissel Kobe defender Toulou was also shown a straight red card for protesting after a second ball appeared on the pitch. He was deemed to have shown dissent towards the linesman. As a result of these incidents, Vissel Kobe lost their fight and spirit in the game.
Currently, Vissel Kobe is ranked 5th in the J.League standings with 12 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses. They are currently 3 points behind the top three teams and still have a chance to catch up with 13 games remaining. In their 13 away games this season, Vissel Kobe has recorded an impressive 7 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, giving them a win rate of 54%. Their away-game points haul is second only to league leaders Machida Zelvia. During the offseason, Vissel Kobe also showcased their consistency in friendly matches against top-flight European teams Tottenham Hotspur and Lens.
Lineup-wise, Vissel Kobe will be without the suspended Nana Iino and Toulou. Toulou’s red card for dissent was originally supposed to result in a four-game suspension, but the J.League Disciplinary Committee reduced the punishment to one game due to unclear evidence, offering some respite to Vissel Kobe. Additionally, right-back Takuma Asano is still recovering from a fractured bone and will miss the game.
In their 20 previous encounters, Yokohama F. Marinos holds a slight edge with 11 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses. In this round, Yokohama F. Marinos will be playing at home back-to-back, which could give them a slight advantage in terms of fitness. On the other hand, Vissel Kobe, who were on the receiving end of some controversial decisions in their previous match, will be looking to bounce back and secure a vital away win.
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