Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande face Kashima Antlers in the AFC Champions League on the same night,  with the former winners looking to cement their place in the knockout stage, while the J.League side are under pressure to claim their first points of the campaign in Group H.

Following their action-packed encounter last month in southern China as Guangzhou edged a seven-goal thriller to maintain their 100% record, the 2013 champions are currently five points clear of defending champions Western Sydney Wanderers of Australia and 2013 runners-up FC Seoul.

Kashima, though, are a further four points off the pace after also losing to Western Sydney and FC Seoul and Toninho Cerezo’s side are in danger of missing out on securing a place in the last 16 for the first time since 2011.

“Although we lost the game, we were able to give a good match and play beautiful football. This is the charm of the sport: even if you don’t win you can give good matches,” said Cerezo following the 4-3 defeat in China a fortnight ago. Our pictures show Mu Kanazaki (above) and Gaku Shibasaki (below).

“I didn’t see any big differences between my players and the Guangzhou players. We just couldn’t convert our chances into goals so we may need some good strikers.”

Also in Group H, Western Sydney entertain FC Seoul after the pair shared a goalless draw in Korea Republic a fortnight ago.

In Group F, bottom side Gamba Osaka will take on undefeated leaders Buriram United of Thailand, with the Japanese champions needing to secure maximum points to claw back some of the six point margin that separates the two sides.

Having only scored once in their three group matches this season, former champions Gamba are further hampered by the suspension of Brazilian forward Patric (pictured above), a pivotal member of their treble-winning side in 2014.

On Wednesday night Kashiwa Reysol (above, Daisuke Suzuki in action) are away at Shandong Luneng, who they beat 201 two weeks ago, sitting atop the group with seven points – alongside Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors – while Urawa Reds (pictures below) – with no points to their name in Group G – entertain Beijing Guoan, who sit prettily on top of the group with maximum points after three matches.

Some teams may well have decided their fate by the end of this round. Or had their fate decided for them. Watch this space!

Images courtesy of World Sport Group

Head to Head – In 2003 J2 play Sanfrecce won 3 out of 4 then and won their encounter this season in J1. Just the one draw for Consadole in five outings.

Match Preview – who can see anything else but a win for the top team against the bottom team here today? Consadole Sapporo have never beaten Sanfrecce and lost at home, easily, earlier in the season. Sapporo’s injury list is still long, but shortening slowly, and Kondo and Maeda, if fit, would be adecent forward line, but ateam that has scored just 22 goals all season against a Sanfrecce team that has conceded just 31? Don’t expect an away win here today!

Sanfrecce Hiroshima know they MUST put the wins together in the final month of the season to ward off Vegalta Sendai and, who knows, S-Pulse – if they put a decent run together. Simply put, wins for Sanfrecce (and Vegalta) mean S-Pulse can not catch them. One less team to worry about on the final day?! Surely Sanfrecce won’t waste this chance to keep the pressure up on those chasing them, and, perhaps to improve their goal difference at the same time?! Bad timing on transfer rumours that Moriwaki has been approached by Urawa Reds – perhaps intentionally released by Reds! Hopefully, for Sanfrecce fans, that won’t unsettle the, EXPECT a WIN for SANFRECCE HIROSHIMA!

Head to Head – 16 meetings since 2004, with Marinos winning 8, Sanfrecce 5 and 3 draws.

Match Preview – Sanfrecce have won their last three as Sendai have faltered and now enjoy a five point lead at the top. This is often the time that a J1 team bottles it – it happens over and over, the team at the top, fail to extend their lead. Let’s see what Sanfrecce can do – they have little experience of holding on to the top spot, but their fate is in their own hands and nothing less than a win is what they will want. Urawa Reds will be looking for any hiccup to take advantage and close in. The influential Moriwaki is suspended and will be missed, not least in the goal celebrations! Hiroshima won 4-1 last week against Tosu, although they scored from a doubtful PK and then a shot that saw deflections galore – of course, they deserved the win, but the luck is going their way too. Will it continue?
Since their long unbeaten run Yokohama F.Marinos have lost three-in-a-row before they beat Antlers, and then drew with Ardija last week to arrest that slide. The likes of Ono are not coming up with the goals, and Marquinos is suspended, can they hold off a rampant Sanfrecce for another 0-0 draw? I think so – EXPECT a (scoreless?) DRAW!