Preview: Tokyo Verdy’s Three Loan Players to Miss Match, Kashima Antlers Struggling Defensively on the Road

On August 25th at 5 PM, Tokyo Verdy will host Kashima Antlers in the 28th round of the J League.

Tokyo Verdy drew 0-0 against their city rivals FC Tokyo in the 27th round of the J League last weekend, making it three games in a row without a goal. The front line duo of Yuma Kimura and Yutaro Someya, who had a strong start to the season, have suddenly lost their scoring touch. The Olympic Games attacking midfielder Fuuki Yamada also hasn’t been able to showcase his left-footed ability. Regarding the recent poor form, Tokyo Verdy manager Hiroshi Jofuku said in a media interview, “I’m just disappointed that we couldn’t win. We did most of what we wanted to do, but if we hadn’t missed those few centimeters, we could have gotten three points. We’ll continue to persevere like this.”

Currently, Tokyo Verdy, as a promoted team, is in 13th place with a record of 8 wins, 11 draws, and 8 losses. They are only 7 points ahead of the relegation zone, and the advantage is not particularly significant. In their 13 home games this season, Tokyo Verdy has a record of 3 wins, 7 draws, and 3 losses. Their ability to gain points is slightly worse than away from home. However, in their last three home games, Tokyo Verdy earned one point against Osaka Sakura, Machida Zelvia, and Hiroshima Sanfrecce. It’s not completely unacceptable for a relegation team.

In terms of lineup, Tokyo Verdy will be without the three loaned players Yutaro Someya, Yuta Matsumura, and Shoki Hayashi due to their avoidance clauses. This is undoubtedly a significant blow to Tokyo Verdy’s starting lineup. Regarding the absence of loan players, Tokyo Verdy manager Hiroshi Jofuku said: “We have three players from the same club. It’s not easy to be without three starting players, but I think this is an opportunity for players who don’t get as much playing time to showcase themselves.”

Kashima Antlers drew 0-0 against Urawa Red Diamonds at home in the last round of the league. The team’s key attacker Hayato Nakama scored a goal in the 82nd minute but was ruled offside. The referee’s offside decision was controversial. Regarding Kashima Antlers’ performance in the “Double Red” match, manager Ivan Popović said that he knew the players had given their best and showed good things. In the Round of 16 of the Emperor’s Cup this week, Kashima Antlers defeated Ventforet Kofu 2-1 away with a last-minute goal. Captain Naomichi Ueda scored the winning goal from a corner kick. Popović also praised the team’s resilience in a post-match interview.

Currently, in the J League standings, Kashima Antlers are in 3rd place with a record of 14 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses. They are still 5 points behind the top-ranked Machida Zelvia, and the path to the championship is still difficult. In their 13 away games this season, Kashima Antlers have a record of 5 wins, 1 draw, and 7 losses, with their points-scoring ability significantly declining compared to home games. Their away points per game efficiency only ranks 14th in the league. In their last three away league games, Kashima Antlers suffered defeats against Vissel Kobe, Yokohama F Marinos, and Jubilo Iwata. In the match against Jubilo Iwata, Kashima Antlers were overturned despite having a significant advantage in terms of paper strength, highlighting their poor defensive performance.

In terms of lineup, Kashima Antlers striker Kaveriche will continue to miss the game due to injury. The good news is that new summer signing Koki Tawara made his debut against Ventforet Kofu in the cup and had a solid performance, meaning he could provide some attacking power in the second half of the season.

In their previous eight encounters, Kashima Antlers have a slight psychological advantage with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses. In this round of the league, Tokyo Verdy, who have not won in three rounds, will be looking to get back on track with a home advantage. Will Kashima Antlers, who are in a tight race for the championship but are struggling on the road, be able to take all three points?

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