Team News
Yokohama F.Marinos – DF Kurihara, MF Tomisawa, FW Marquinos are all suspended. No new injuries reported, MF Taniguchi is touch and go.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima – DF Moriwaki is suspended. No injuries reported.

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!