Vegalta Sendai – DF Kakuda is out for at least a month.
Yokohama F.Marinos – MF Saito is with the Olympic team.

Just seven meetings over the years, with three wins for Sendai and two for Marinos, with two draws for good measure.
Vegalta Sendai have faltered – as predicted right here – over the last few weeks, with just four goals and one win in their last five games, while Yokohama F.Marinos finally found their goalscoring touch last time out with a 3-0 win over S-Pulse. Sendai have been fortunate with players hitting form at the right time, and covering the absence of other players through injury and Wilson – much-maligned earlier in the season – seems to have settled in to J1 life. Goals from him and Akamine must continue, with good support from the likes of Ota and Sekiguchi if Sendai are to stay in the hunt for the Championship.

Marinos have put a good run together after a terrible start and even, as noted, scored three goals last week. They have been lacking in the scoring department, but the defence has been strong. if the likes of Ono and Oguro can score goals, Marinos will hover in the lower reaches of the top ten now, and if Marquinhos can stay fit and play more goals will come from him also and they’ll make it hard even for the likes of Sendai. A key player for the rest of the season will be young forward Yuji Ono – if he stays fit, and not suspended – he has a tendency to lose his head – his consistency and goals will be the difference between top half and top 6.
EXPECT a DRAW!.