Yokohama F. Marinos vs Kashiwa Reysol

Nissan Stadium sets the stage for a mouth-watering J1 League meeting between Yokohama F. Marinos and Kashiwa Reysol.

Yokohama’s bid to claim their first AFC Champions League trophy unraveled despite a 2-1 first-leg win against Al-Ain in the grand final. Harry Kewell’s side got thumped in the United Arab Emirates at the weekend 5-1 in the return leg, extending their winless run in all competitions to three matches (D1, L2). Left to lick their wounds, last season’s J1 League runners-up return to domestic action, seeking their first top-flight triumph since early April. Indeed, the hosts remain unfathomably stuck in the lower reaches, seven points adrift of the continental qualification spots, after failing to win any of their last six league outings (D4, L2). Perhaps they can take confidence from bettering Kashiwa in two of their last three H2Hs (L1) despite finishing on the receiving end of a 2-0 scoreline in their most recent duel.

Visiting Kashiwa could, therefore, record back-to-back H2H league wins for the first time since 2013. Boosting the visitors’ quest to build on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W3, D2) is Yokohama’s underwhelming league record on home soil (W1, D3, L1). But the Sun King have problems of their own, especially on the road, where they’ve won none of their last five J1 League fixtures (D4, L1). It’s no less significant to note that Masami Ihara’s men have scored over 1.5 goals per game only once on their seven top-flight travels this season! That’s an ominous trend now that they’re about to face a Yokohama side they’ve conceded precisely four goals against across their last two away H2Hs (L2).