Sagan Tosu – DF Kitani out for at least another month.
Kashima Antlers – DF/MF Yamamura is with the Olympic team.

Head to Head – the teams have met only once before in a 0-0 draw earlier in the season.

Sagan Tosu have an impressive home form and are still surprising some of us in their first ever season in J1. That home form has gone some way to making sure that are not (yet) in the relegation dogfight. They are in no man’s land right now, nine points off the top, nine points away from the relegation places. Their fans will not complain if they stay there for this inaugural J1 season! But Kashima Antlers will have something to say about that. The away team held the top team last weekend – on two goals from Osako – and are on an unbeaten run that is seeing them move slowly up the table and look to make their season safe before a renewal of form in 2013?! If Osako and Koroki continue to score Kashima will not be pulled back into the struggle this season and, after winning this game they’ll push Sagan slowly toward a final month of nail-biting nervousness, perhaps, as they fight to keep their J1 status? Or am I being too hard on Sagan!
EXPECT a WIN for KASHIMA ANTLERS!