18:00 Shimizu S-Pulse vs Kashiwa Reysol at Outsourcing Stadium
S-Pulse to FINALLY Score That 100th J.League Goal!?
Shimizu S-Pulse – no injuries to report.
Kashiwa Reysol – MF Otani is suspended. Injuries are DF Fujita and two reserve GKs.
Eight wins for Reysol, seven for S-Pulse, and three draws over the last decade. S-Pulse’s last league win was August 2008.
Shimizu S-Pulse (9th – P17 W7 D4 L6 GD +2 Pts. 25) have been trying to score their 1000th J.League goal for an eternity now and have scored just once in their last five games, although gaining three 0-0 draws in that time. They are actively looking for a goalscorer and will consider allowing Alex Brosque to leave to help pay for a new foriegner. Franca will also be encouraged to have a loan period in J2? The team with the best defence in the league needs to score if they are to challenge for the top.
Kashiwa Reysol (7th – P17 W8 D3 L6 GD +6 Pts. 27) were on a great run that saw them move into the upper echelons before being brought down to earth with a home defeat to Nagoya last week. The loss of RB Sakai will be a big one but they have the players to overcome it but I see a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE today!
19:00 Omiya Ardija vs Vissel Kobe at Nack 5 Stadium
Vissel Kobe Rebound with Big Away Win?
Omiya Ardija – MF Hashimoto has Labyrynthitis – out for a month or so.
Vissel Kobe – DF Iwanami is with the Japan U19 team. FW Tashiro is ready to return from injury but not match fit. MF/FW Morioka missed last week’s match but hopes to be fit today.
Six wins for Ardija, five for Vissel and five draws over the last seven years in J1 and the Nabisco Cup.
Omiya Ardija (15th – P17 W5 D4 L8 GD -13 Pts. 19) have disappointed their fans who expected a season without the relegation fight that appears to be looming big right now. Losing Higashi to the London Olympics after this game won’t help either, but new coach Verdenik has the team trying new things and they’ll be hoping for a change in fortune in the second half of the season.
Vissel Kobe (12th – P17 W8 D0 L9 GD -2 Pts. 24) have already settled in under new coach Nishino and outplayed top team Vegalta last weekend and were happy with the performance, if not the result. They are becoming a team and if they perform as they did last time out they will be too much for Ardija. EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE!
19:00 Albirex Niigata vs Urawa Reds at Tohoku Den Stadium
Urawa Reds March on and Up!
Albirex Niigata – DF Murakami is suspended. DF JS Kim out for two months with a knee injury. MF Nakamura out for three months with bone fracture in foot. MF Uchida out for the season.
Urawa Reds – MF Naoki Yamada out for the season. FWs Escudero and Popo still doubtful.
15 wins for Reds, two for Albirex and three draws over the last decade. Niigata’s wins came in 2005 and 2006.
Albirex Niigata (16th – P17 W4 D4 L9 GD -11 Pts. 16) sneaked a 1-0 win over bottom club Consadole last weekend but are still deep in relegation trouble and suffering from injuries. They will have their hands full against Urawa Reds (3rd – P17 W8 D6 L3 GD +6 Pts. 30) who are on an unbeaten run and sitting poised in 3rd place to take over when Sanfrecce and Vegalta slip up. Reds could use more goals and are actively looking for a goalscorer but, having not been selected for the Olympic squad, perhaps Genki Haraguchi is the man to supply more goals, after getting a couple last weekend. EXPECT a WIN for URAWA REDS!
19:00 Jubilo Iwata vs Consadole Sapporo at Yamaha Stadium
How Can Jubilo NOT Win This?
Jubilo Iwata – MF Baek already out with the Korean Olympic squad. MF Matsuoka out for six months with knee ligament damage. GK Kawaguchi out for the season. FW Kanazono out until September.
Consadole Sapporo – MF Kawai out for a month. MF Takagi is out for two months. FW Maeda out until at least August.
In J1 in 2008 these teams shared a win each, and they drew 0-0 on the opening day of this season. Those are their three meetings to date.
Jubilo Iwata (6th – P17 W8 D3 L6 GD +9 Pts. 27) faltered last week and have actually lost three of the last five and have slipped to 6th spot. While they have scored 34 goals, they have also conceded big numbers and really need to shore up the defence if they are to stay in touch with the leaders. Perhaps today is the game where they score a few more and keep a clean sheet?
Consadole Sapporo (18th – P17 W1 D1 L15 GD -28 Pts. 4) have won one game all season. Add a draw to that and they have four points and are heading for the worst J1 team ever award. Against high-scoring Jubilo they can probably expect to ship a few more goals today! EXPECT a WIN for JUBILO IWATA!
19:00 Nagoya Grampus vs Vegalta Sendai at Toyota Stadium
Nagoya to Trouble Sendai!
Nagoya Grampus – DF/MF Danilson is suspended. FW Tamada out for two months after operation. MFs Isomura and Namakura both out for at least another two months each.
Vegalta Sendai – DF Kamata is suspended. DF Uemoto out for another week or two at least.
Four wins for Grampus, two for Vegalta and two draws in just eight meetings between these two teams since 2003.
Nagoya Grampus (4th – P17 W8 D4 L5 GD +2 Pts. 28) have sneaked up to 4th position over the last few weeks and are on an unbeaten run, including putting an end to Reysol’s winning run last weekend. U23 Olympic forward Nagai is on song and banging in goals (and creating, too, see Josh Kennedy’s goal last weekend). In Tamada’s absence Nagai will be missed when he heads for London next week and Grampus will be hoping that they can grab a win this time before they are depleted further.
Vegalta Sendai (1st – P17 W10 D5 L2 GD +19 Pts. 35) have lost just the two games this season and are in a similar position to where they were at this time last season but they were handed a lesson in possession and effort last weekend by Vissel, but still came out with the win. Is that because they are winners and are going to keep winning, even when they play badly or are they going to slip away, as they did last season. I believe the latter … EXPECT a WIN for NAGOYA GRAMPUS.
19:00 Gamba Osaka vs Yokohama F.Marinos at Banpaku
Gamba – the Revival MUST Start Soon!
Gamba Osaka – FW Leandro is eligible to start. FW Kawanishi back in training after broken leg. DFs Kaji and Eduardo still missing. GK Kimura out with a broken leg. DF Nakazawa broke a leg in training, out for two months. FW Paulinho has a thigh injury.
Yokohama F. Marinos – MF Nakamura out for two more weeks? DF Dutra and FW Marquinhos are both under treatment and await news on fitness. DF Amano out for the season. MF Ogura almost ready to return.
Ten wins for Marinos, eight for Gamba, and seven draws over the last decade.
Gamba Osaka (17th – P17 W3 D4 L12 GD -12 Pts. 13) are in dire straits and must start winning soon. They’ve put in good performances and had teams on the run in many games yet don’t have the points to show for it. It’s a matter of confidence and finishing, but if they don’t get a win VERY soon then they are J2-bound! Will the incoming Leandro make the difference up front. Meanwhile, in defence, keeper Kimura AND centre back Nakazawa have both broken legs in the last weeks, while various defenders are out injured. It’s not just up front they need to change!
Yokohama F.Marinos (11th – P17 W5 D9 L3 GD +3 Pts. 24) have scored nine goals less than struggling Gamba and are having problems of their own but at least have improved after their terrible start saw then struggling near the bottom. They have injury problems of their won, as well as the problem scoring and will struggle to keep Gamba at bay if the home team play like they have done in recent games, BUT, Gamba must keep a clean sheet, too. I think they can win this one, EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA.
19:00 Cerezo Osaka vs Kashima Antlers at Nagai Stadium
Cerezo to Slip Further Into Trouble?
Cerezo Osaka – MF Kim is already with the Korea Olympic squad.
Kashima Antlers – No injuries to report.
Seven wins for Cerezo, five for Antlers and three draws over the last decade.
Cerezo Osaka (14th – P17 W5 D4 L8 GD -4 Pts. 19) will now have to start getting used to life afer Kiyotake, but are used to it by now, after losing Kagawa, Inui and Ienaga in quick succession. They may well lose Kim, Ogihara and even Kakitani before long, also, and so struggle to be consistent and, apart from the transfer rumours mentioned will be without Ogihara and Yamaguchi for the duration of the Olympics, too, so NEED a win here to stave off the rot that has set in as they drop down the division.
Kashima Antlers (13th – P17 W6 D4 L7 GD +3 Pts. 22) managed a narrow win against Omiya last weekend but are strugglimg to put wins together and continue to hang around the lower reaches of the table. While the player himself will be disappointed, the snubbing of forward Osako by the Olympic squad selectors means that they have a player who is angry, hungry and wants to prove something. Osako will be dangerous for Osaka! EXPECT a DRAW!
19:00 Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Kawasaki Frontale at Hiroshima Big Arch
Sanfrecce Heading For the Top!
Sanfrecce Hiroshima – the team await news on Mikic who was injured in the last game. DF Hwang already away with the Korean Olympic squad.
Kawasaki Frontale – DFs Jeci and Komiyama are back in training but not match fit. DF Ito out for two weeks or so. MF Noborizato out until August.
12 wins for Frontale, just two for Sanfrecce and eight draws over the years, but one of those Sanfrecce wins came away this season!
Sanfrecce Hiroshima (2nd – P17 W10 D3 L4 GD +16 Pts. 33) dispatched 3rd placed Jubilo Iwata with ease last time out, while Sendai struggled at Vissel and Sanfrecce will be hoping for another win, while awaiting the top team to slip up. Sanfrecce are the team that look hungry and are now many people’s tip for the top as the second half of the season comes around … they have goalscorers all over the field, as well as the J1 top scorer in Hisashi Sato. Expect goals.
Kawasaki Frontale (8th – P17 W8 D3 L6 GD 0 Pts. 27) have had their ups and downs but are certainly a different team under coach Kazama… they concede too many goals, but have had defensive injuries to disrupt plans. If they can stop conceding goals they can stick around the top six, but probably not much better this season. EXPECT a WIN for SANFECCE HIROSHIMA!
19:00 Sagan Tosu vs FC Tokyo at Best Amenity Stadium
A Draw on the Cards?!
Sagan Tosu – DF Kitani out until September. MF Takahashi approaching fitness, may be available for this game.
FC Tokyo – DF Jang is already with the Korean Olympic squad. MF Hanyu out for at least a month, MF Otake out for the season, DF Ota out for at least another month, DF Hiramatsu expecting long time off with Achilles injury. MF Kajiyama out until early August. MF Ishikawa very doubtful.
Two wins for Tokyo, and one draw in three meetings between these two teams. Two in J2 last year, one win for FC Tokyo this season.
Sagan Tosu (10th – P17 W6 D6 L5 GD +3 Pts. 24) have an excellent home record which will give them the confidence to think they can take out the visitors today and they will take additional strength from their great defensive record, even though it was tainted by conceding four goals in the rain at Urawa last weekend, although, 4-0 down with less than half an hour to go last week, they pulled it back to 4-3 and won’t be too disappointed with their 2nd half performance coming into this game.
FC Tokyo (5th – P17 W9 D1 L7 GD +1 Pts. 27) find themselves in 5th spot after holding off a rampant Gamba Osaka last week to take all three points. Winning when they aren’t playing well, and while suffering a glut of injuries will give them heart, but, adding to those injuries they will lose players to the Olympics after this weekend so many expect them to drop down the table over the next month or so. They’ll fight for the win here but I think we can EXPECT a DRAW!