On July 27th at 6 pm, Kobe Vissel Kobe will face Premier League powerhouse Tottenham Hotspur at the National Stadium in a club friendly match.
Kobe Vissel Kobe drew 3-3 with Nagoya Grampus at home in the J1 League’s 24th round last weekend. Despite trailing 1-2 before the 90th minute, substitutes Sho Yamauchi and Ryuto Kikuchi scored two goals in stoppage time to turn the tide and leave Nagoya on the verge of collapse. In the final moments, Kobe goalkeeper Daiki Furukawa collided with Yuya Yamanishi during a sortie, leading the referee to award a penalty. Ultimately, Sho Inagaki converted the penalty to secure a stunning draw for Nagoya. After the match, Kobe head coach Takayuki Yoshida expressed his regret, stating: “It’s difficult to evaluate Daiki Furukawa’s performance today. He saved the team earlier, but his last-minute mistake led to the dropped points. It was a complete misjudgment.”
Kobe Vissel Kobe currently sits in 4th place in the J1 League with a record of 12 wins, 6 draws, and 6 losses. They are two points behind the top three teams, with a slight advantage in goal difference. Kobe has an impressive record in their 12 away games this season, achieving 7 wins, 3 draws, and only 2 losses, both against title contenders Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka. Overall, their points-scoring form remains very positive. It’s also worth noting that Kobe’s last game at the National Stadium was a 1-0 victory against Kawasaki Frontale on June 16th. They haven’t suffered a defeat at this venue this season.
In terms of the lineup, Kobe will be without starting right-back Takuma Asano and midfielder Mizuki Saito for this match. However, their key attacker, Yasuki Takagi, has returned to training, and defensive midfielder Hotaru Yamaguchi is also expected to feature in the starting lineup. In last season’s friendlies, Kobe fielded their full strength squad against non-Asian teams Barcelona and Inter Miami, but ultimately failed to score a single goal.
Tottenham finished last season’s Premier League in 5th place with a record of 20 wins, 6 draws, and 12 losses, securing European qualification. Australian manager Ange Postecoglou’s emphasis on offensive football has delighted fans. During the off-season, Tottenham has offloaded veterans like Eric Dier, Tanguy Ndombele, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, and Ivan Perišić. They also invested €41.25 million in acquiring Leeds United’s midfield prodigy Archie Gray and Swedish league prospect Bertil Bertilsson, both aged 18. Additionally, according to transfer media reports, Tottenham is expected to announce the signing of Gangwon FC attacker Min-hyeok Yang at the end of this month, during their match against the K League All-Star team.
In terms of injuries, Tottenham has included almost all of their available players in their Asia tour squad. This includes center-back Duje Ćaleta-Car, who recently returned from the European Championship, and Richarlison, who is on the verge of a transfer to the Saudi Pro League. Moreover, Bertilsson and Ben Davies, who were previously reported as injured, have been spotted training in Japan by the media. Both players are likely to feature in the match.
It’s also worth mentioning that Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, during the pre-match press conference, was asked about his willingness to sign Japanese players. The former Yokohama F. Marinos manager hinted at an open attitude and confirmed his recognition of the quality of players in the J1 and K League.
This match is Kobe Vissel Kobe’s first friendly of the off-season (they will also face Reims at home on August 3rd). They are likely to field their usual starting lineup, similar to their J1 League performances. Can Ange Postecoglou, who is familiar with Japanese football, guide Tottenham to victory?
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