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Previews

J.League J1 Preview Matchday 32 – 14:00 Jubilo Iwata vs Nagoya Grampus at Yamaha

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Team News
Jubilo Iwata – CB Suganuma is suspended. MF Baek is back in training but probably not match fit. MF Matsuoka a long-term injury.
Nagoya Grampus – FW Kennedy is still out with a long-term recurring injury.

Head to Head
9 wins for Grampus, five for Jubilo, and six draws over the last decade or so.

Match Preview
Jubilo Iwata have been in freefall down J1 having lost four of their last five and now find themselves in 10th position. They are six points away from today’s opponents and that 3rd placed spot, so can kiss the ACL 2013 goodbye. Amazingly they are also mathematically still in the relegation race although it would be almost impossible for them to be relegated! While 10th spot would probably have been accepted by the fans at the start of the season, after spending so much time in the top 3 or 4 this season is probably going to turn out to be a disappointment in the end. The influential Korean Baek may well be in contention to return from injury but, even though I feel he was the main reason they did so well (and the reason they dropped so badly when he was injured) I don’t believe he is match fit anyway and will make little difference to this team who have got used to losing.

Nagoya Grampus have been much too inconsistent this season, yet still, with three games to go they find themselves on the verge of ACL qualification, only ot of 3rd place on goal difference from Urawa Reds. With injuries affecting their team selection, coach Stoijkovic has been forced to use Tulio as a forward at times and Australian international Kennedy is still out and not expected back this season, but I believe they should stick with selections from Tamada, Nagai and Kanazaki as forwards, as opposed to Tulio! I believe Nagoya will be motivated enough, and confident enough on their four game unbeaten run for us to EXPECT a WIN for NAGOYA GRAMPUS!

In the Mix, Previews

JSoccer Magazine J1 Preview Sept.22nd, Matchday 26 – 19:00 Nagoya Grampus vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Mizuho Athletic Stadium

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Nagoya Grampus – FW Nagai is suspended. MF Isomura out long-term.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MFs Nakajima and Mikic, and DF Hwang will be missing through injury.

6 wins for Nagoya, 3 for Hiroshima and 6 draws since 2004.

Nagoya Grampus took out Cerezo Osaka away last weekend, but the top team will be a different proposition altogether! With three wins in a row, and Josh Kennedy finally back on the field, the team will be quietly confident that they can make up the six points and attack the top of the division but a game against any team above them is a must-win if they are to have any chance of cancelling out their points deficit over the next two months in the final run-up. Nagai will be missing through suspension but, in Tamada, Kanazaki and Kennedy, Nagoya have more than enough firepower at their disposal, but does their defence have the organisational skills to hold back Sato, Takahagi and co?

Sanfrecce took the top spot by winning a vital six-pointer battle of the top two last weekend and will be confident that they can continue, as well as being under no illusions of what they have to do to keep hold of pole position as the final straight of the season looms! Mikic’s creation will be a big loss but Takahagi is doing his best to supply, and catch the eye of Zaccheroni at the same time, perhaps!? Sato just puts the goals in when given the chance, so Tulio and his crew at the back for Nagoya will have their hands full in this match. It’s well known that the team at the top of J1 are under the most pressure and reaching the summit often means the next match is lost – I am following that principle here today! Nagoya also will know that if they win this match they will be within four points of Sanfrecce!
EXPECT a WIN for NAGOYA GRAMPUS!