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Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Albirex Niigata vs Kawasaki Frontale at Tohoku Den

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Team News
Albirex Niigata – GK Higashiguchi and back-up GK Watanabe both out long-term. MF Uchida out for the season.
Kawasaki Frontale – DF Morishita is back in training after a long injury.

Head to Head
10 wins for Albirex, 8 for Frontale and just one draw over a decade of meetings.

Match Preview
Albirex Niigata dug out a vital away win at S-Pulse last time out and therefore kept in contention for safety, leveling up on points with Gamba Osaka, although 9 goals behind on goal difference, which could be vital on that final day. The defining fact from their season has been that they have scored only 24 goals in 31 games so far – that’s just two goals more than relegated Sapporo or, to out it another way, only four goals more than Sanfrecce’s Hisato Sato. But for the fact that their defence has conceded just one more goal than top team Sanfrecce they would have been relegated long ago. Although Albirex rarely score, Frontale do let a lot of goals in so Albirex need to find the net if they are to win this!

Kawasaki Frontale’s win over Urawa Reds last game out saw them reach 43 points and safety, if not mathematically, virtually! A single point from three games will be enough to make 100% sure of Frontale’s safety, and they would like to see that sooner rather than later, I am sure. An away draw with Vissel, and then that home win over Reds sees them in reasonable form and scoring goals – if Renato continues his sudden return to form Albirex will find themselves in deeper trouble by the end of the day here. EXPECT a WIN for KAWASAKI FRONTALE!

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J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Yokohama F.Marinos vs Kashiwa Reysol at Nissan

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Team News
Yokohama F.Marinos – MF Tomisawa is suspended. MF Ogura may be back in contention after injury.
Kashiwa Reysol – MF/FW Leandro Domingues fighting for fitness. DF Kondo and MF Mizuno definitely out.

Head to Head
7 wins for Reysol, 6 for Marinos and 4 draws since 2004.

Match Preview
Yokohama F.Marinos had a terrible start to the season, then went on a long unbeaten run, then hit a losing streak, and are now unbeaten in their last five – it’s time to make it count and keep winning if they are to have any chance of making that final ACL-qualifying spot in 3rd place. They are one of six teams who realistically have a chance and a win against Reysol would knock that team out of contention. They’ll have to do it without Tomisawa, who is suspended, and with just, seemingly, Marquinhos on form of their striking options.

Meanwhile, Kashiwa Reysol have missed the influential Leandro Domingues recently but are still just three points off that 3rd spot. A return for the Brazilian would be a huge boost for the team who have lost to Ardija and drawn with Gamba in their last two matches. Marinos should be a bigger test for them and for any chance of finishing 3rd and taking that final ACL spot they must win this game. Marinos, along with Sanfrecce, have the best defence in the league and have drawn a J1 record 14 times this season – EXPECT a DRAW here today, also!

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J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Urawa Reds vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Saitama

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Team News
Urawa Reds – DF Mizuta out injured, MF Naoki Yamada training but not match fit.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima report no injuries, and there are no suspensions.

Head to Head
9 wins for Reds, 5 for Sanfrecce and 3 draws since 2004.

Match Preview
Urawa Reds have lost three of their last four games yet still find themselves in 3rd place due to the teams around them dropping points. Their defeat at Kawasaki Frontale put paid to their title hopes but they will be hoping they can hold back the tide and stop Sanfrecce all but sealing up the title if they win here and Vegalta fail to win at Kashima. Reds are on a downward spiral, with no goalscorers on the field, while Sanfrecce score for fun, with Sato top of the scoring charts, and know that if they win this they will stay clear at the top, or even stretch their lead. EXPECT a WIN for SANFRECCE HIROSHIMA!

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J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Kashima Antlers vs Vegalta Sendai at Kashima

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Team News
Kashima Antlers – MF Endo is suspended. DF/MF Yamamura still out injured.
Vegalta Sendai – Just DF Uemoto out injured.

Head to Head
4 wins for Antlers, 2 for Sendai and 1 draw. Just the last three seasons and a season in 2003 is all we have between these two teams.

Match Preview
Vegalta Sendai lost ground on Sanfrecce Hiroshima last time out and MUST win this to stay in touch, presuming that Sanfrecce don’t slip up against Urawa Reds – a big presumption, indeed. Sendai have two draws and two wins in their last four but it has not been enough to keep track with the top spot, so this is a must-win today for them. They have no suspensions and just Uemoto missing and really need to dispatch Kashima Antlers today.

Kashima Antlers fought out a hard-earned goalless draw with fellow strugglers Omiya Ardija after being victorious in the Nabisco Cup Final. Antlers are five points clear of relegation with nine points available to Gamba and Albirex so they will know they need at least another win out of their final three games to be sure of safety. They will not make it easy for Sendai. They are missing Endo through suspension, but have more than enough cover and Shibasaki is on a high – the man to be careful of? EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 17:00 Cerezo Osaka vs Omiya Ardija at Kincho

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Team News
Cerezo Osaka – FW Bando is suspended. MF Yoshino out until next season. FWs Sugimoto and Kakitani are injury doubts.
Omiya Ardija report no injuries, and there are no suspensions.

Head to Head
6 wins for Ardija, 4 for Cerezo and 2 draws in 12 meetings between these teams since 2004.

Match Preview
Cerezo are all but mathematically certain of safety and have rewarded coach Culpi with a new and improved contract for 2013, even though he left for a break earlier this season! The fact that they have little to play for may see them surprised by the ferocity of the away team here today, who will be fighting for survival. The most hardcore of Cerezo fans might even be wishing for a defeat today, in order to put their Osaka city rivals – Gamba – under more relegation pressure! But that surely wouldn’t spread to the feelings of the players!? Although their last three games have been draws, there were two wins preceding those so their five game unbeaten run looks to have given them confidence. Will it be enough today?

Omiya Ardija have pulled off some excellent, and somewhat surprising results recently, after many thought they were dead, buried and J2-bound and are also – like Cerezo – unbeaten in five matches, all be it with four of them draws! Whatever! Every point helps in the battle against relegation but they will struggle to find three points here today. London Olympian HIgashi’s form has suffered since his return from London and big signing Cho has not done it at all this season. If they win this, and escape J2 it will be a miracle, but their fans are used to this!! EXPECT a WIN for CEREZO OSAKA!

Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 17:00 Shimizu S-Pulse vs Gamba Osaka at Outsourcing

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Team News
Gamba Osaka – DF Kaji and FW Sato out for the season, and more.
Shimizu S-Pulse – No injuries reported, no suspensions.

Head to Head
11 wins for Gamba, 4 for S-Pulse and 6 draws since 2004.

Match Preview
Shimizu S-Pulse have disappointed in recent weeks – losing in the Nabisco Cup Final to Antlers, and then going down to a shock home defeat last time out to Albirex Niigata. Their hopes of finishing in 2rd place have been dented and they will be looking to get back on the winning road and staying in touch with the other teams fighting it out for that 3rd place. In other news there is interest from German clubs for striker Omae and he may be leaving . . not a good start to keeping this team together.

Gamba Osaka have held Sanfrecce Hiroshima and ACL-chasing Kashiwa Reysol in their last games and are more than capable of getting maximum points here today, especially if Leandro is fit and on form – he will be the man that S-Pulse will be watching very carefully, and the fitness – or rather lack of full fitness – on the part of Calvin Jong-a-Pin may well be the difference in that duel. S-Pulse are a young team, who have lost a cup final, and then a league game against lower opposition recently, they will not have the experience and will find it difficult to handle the pressure from a very experienced club like Gamba Osaka, who will be giving everything in their desperate attempt to fight relegation! EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!

Previews

J.League J1 preview Matchday 32 – 17:00 Consadole Sapporo vs Sagan Tosu at Sapporo Dome

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Team News
Consadole Sapporo – DF Kushibiki is suspended. DFs Kim and North are still fitness concerns as is FW Uehara.
Sagan Tosu – MF Kim is suspended. DF Yeo is injured.

Head to Head
13 wins for Tosu, 10 for Consadole and 5 draws in ten seasons between these two teams. All in J2 except for Sagan’s home win this season in J1.

Match Preview
What can we say about Consadole Sapporo – possibly the worst team that J1 has seen in it’s two decades of history? 22 goals scored all season, 79 conceded, a goal difference of -57. Can anyone see them winning this game? Famous last words, perhaps, but Sagan Tosu have impressed in their maiden season in J1 and have nothing to lose, no pressure on and most of us watching will expect them to walk this match with ease. That, of course is a dangerous attitude! After being confirmed as relegated Sapporo managed to beat Urawa Reds, away, and it looked as if they were suddenly relaxed, knowing their fate was decided. But that was it, they are back on the losing road now!

Sagan Tosu have a great defence, a strong home record and their supporters are really enjoying their first ever season in J1. There were rumours at the start of the season that their ace striker Toyoda would move to a “bigger” club and they must be grateful he didn’t, having scored 14 goals for his team so far this season. They will be hard-pressed to keep him if bigger clubs come calling, though, after he has proved he CAN do it in J1. If they can keep him, and continue their fine performances, confidence will grow even more and their players will surely believe that they do not need to move to gain success. The final three games are important for Sagan to show they are not in a fluke position. 2 or even 3 wins will top their season perfectly and they will not allow Sapporo to spoil this day. EXPECT a WIN for SAGAN TOSU!

Previews

J.League J1 Matchday 32 preview – 17:00 FC Tokyo vs Vissel Kobe at Ajinomoto

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17:00 FC Tokyo vs Vissel Kobe at Ajinomoto – Vissel to Win Valuable Points

Team News
FC Tokyo – DF Otake out long term, MF Hiramatsu out for the season.
Vissel Kobe – DFs Hayashi out for sure, Soma doubtful. FW Yoshida facing a fitness test. GK Tokushige not expected to return this week.

Head to Head
Vissel Kobe have suffered 10 defeats and managed just 6 draws, NO wins in 16 meetings since 2003.

Match Preview
If one is realistic, FC Tokyo are one of the few clubs with nothing left to play for this season. They are five points and 6 positions away from an ACL-qualifying spot, and one point safe from relegation with three games to play. They’ll be playing for nothing but pride and bragging rights – and to keep their unbelievable record against Kobe intact – no loss in their last 16 meetings! Their injuries are clearing up, but too late to have any positive effect this season. The cull has begun already with the announcement that on loan striker Edmilson will not be returning in 2013.

Vissel Kobe, on the other hand, need at least one win in their final matches, perhaps more, to overhaul Omiya Ardija, or stay away from Gamba and Albirex. Last week they fired coach Akira Nishino who, it is rumoured, had “lost the dressing room”. The desperation of recent seasons saw Vissel take vital points in the final games, indeed on the final day, and their experience in fighting the pressure will help. They ARE desperate and so will have so much more motivation that their opponents today. Add to that the “new coach” effect or, in this case, the players playing for the man who they all know so well – Adachi, who took over for a few games when Wada was released earlier in the season, also. He began his short caretaker career then with two wins – can he do it again? Yes, he can! EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE! Their first in three months!

In the Mix, Reports

Results 0 Matchday 31 – Shimizu S-Pulse 0-1 Albirex Niigata highlights, Japanese interviews

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Wednesday night, Nov. 7 results – –

Reysol 2-2 Gamba
S-Pulse 0-1 Albirex
Sanfrecce 3-0 Consadole
Vegalta 1-1 Cerezo
Frontale 4-2 Reds
Ardija 0-0 Antlers
Vissel 1-2 Marinos
Nagoya 1-0 FC Tokyo
Tosu 3-2 Iwata

Updated table at: http://www.jsoccer.com/tables/

Previews

J1 Preview Nov.7th 19.00 – Shimizu S-Pulse vs Albirex Niigata at Outsourcing

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Team News
Shimizu S-Pulse – FW Kim is suspended. No reported injuries but FW Omae and DF Jong-a-Pin not 100%.
Albirex Niigata – DF Kawaguchi will miss the game on Japan U-19 duty. MF Uchida is out long term.

Head to Head – 9 wins for Albirex, 8 for S-Pulse and 5 draws over 22 matches since 2004.

Match Preview – It seems many games in these final weeks will be must-win for one team or the other, none more so that Albirex Niigata in this battle of the orange! A loss for Niigata will see them fall further back in the race for safety, but they will find it hard against a team smarting from a Nabisco Cup Final defeat! Albirex are also without their ace keeper Higashiguchi, who has been the lynchpin of an excellent defensive record this season (if only they could score goals, too!).

As noted, Shimizu S-Pulse will want to bounce back from their cup final defeat and home advantage will only help them regain confidence. The team was an average age of just 23 in the Nabsico Cup Final, but the experience will only help them grow. They know that an ACL place is up for grabs and they are on form. They may even feel, if results go their way, a 2nd place or even the Champinship is still within reach. They won’t let that chance go. The fitness of Calvin Jong-a-Pin may be an issue, but they have the players to get around that if he doesn’t make it. They are starting games with many youngsters, but the experience they are gaining can only be good (average age of starting XI in the Nabisco Cup FInal was exactly 23!). EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!