As the J-League just went over its halfway stage, several clubs are looking to get their groove by trying to string some wins under their belt.
FC Tokyo, Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale, and the Kashima Antlers are in a tight race for the top of the table while clubs like Oita Trinita and Cerezo Osaka are inching closer slowly but surely.
Meanwhile, Jubilo Iwata, Matsumoto Yamaga F.C., and Sagan Tosu are still fighting for their tournament lives as they try to avoid relegation.
With few weeks left in the 2019 J-League season, expect more fireworks and a bigger sense of urgency from all teams as they try to position themselves in getting that much-coveted championship.
SBOBET now takes a glimpse of some interesting matchups in the 20th section of the 2019 J-League season.
FC Tokyo vs. Shimizu S-Pulse
After reeling from their 0-3 loss against Kawasaki Frontale, FC Tokyo remains atop of the table with a slim lead against counterparts Yokohama F. Marinos and Kawasaki Frontale. Forwards Diego Oliveira and Kensuke Nagai will continue to right the ship for FC Tokyo.
Diego Oliveira, after a recent scoring drought, regained his touch in the last few fixtures. He is currently leading the league in total goals with 10.
Shimizu S-Pulse, on the other hand, will look to upset FC Tokyo especially at their home turf. The team scored home victories against Vissel Kobe, Vegalta Sendai, and Yokohama F. Marinos. However, it will be a tall order for them to try and score one against FC Tokyo since they’ve conceded an average of 2.4 goals per game at home this season.
Even with their lacklustre season so far, Shimizu S-Pulse still has Douglas as their bright spot. The 31-year-old has scored eight total goals this season.
In this upcoming game, FC Tokyo is primed to get a 1-0 victory against Shimizu S-Pulse for our J-League 2019 odds, but expect the home team to give them a run for their money.
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Vissel Kobe
The second-seeded Yokohama F. Marinos will look to close the gap between FC Tokyo by winning against Vissel Kobe, who has suffered two straight defeats over the past week.
The Yokohama-based squad will continue to rely on Edigar Junio and Marcos Junior’s brilliance as they continue their excellent play over these past few games. They scored a clean sheet against Oita Trinita (1-0) and an impressive victory against the Urawa Red Diamonds (3-1).
Meanwhile, Vissel Kobe attempts to bounce back after suffering back-to-back losses against Shimizu S-Pulse and Shonan Bellmare. Long-time professionals David Villa and Andres Iniesta will have their work cut out for them as they try to arrest their skid by bringing their A-game.
While they have averaged to score around two goals at home, they’ve conceded almost the same amount at 1.8. This is why their defence will have to tighten up to give themselves a chance to win.
In their last two matches, the Yokohama F. Marinos have gained the upper hand against Vissel Kobe, but this upcoming match might be closer than most would think. Pundits have this game even at 2-2 in what might be an addition to some of the J-League 2019 highlights.
Cerezo Osaka vs. Vegalta Sendai
Cerezo Osaka is surging at the standings after winning four out of their last five games over the past month. One of their biggest wins over that span was putting a blemish to FC Tokyo’s then-clean record last May. The same can’t be said to Vegalta Sendai, however, who’s had a two-game losing streak recently.
To make things even worse for Vegalta Sendai is that they’ll get to play a road game against the raucous crowd at the Yanmar Nagai Stadium in Osaka. And judging from their last head-to-head matchups, Vegalta Sendai would have to keep up with Cerezo Osaka’s strong play on both sides of the field.
Defence in particular has been the key for Cerezo Osaka as they’ve managed to post clean sheets in some of their most recent fixtures. At their home field, Cerezo Osaka only conceded an average of 0.4 goals per game. Forwards Kota Mizunuma and Bruno Mendes will continue to lead the way for the club.
Shun Nagasawa has been the most consistent player for Vegalta Sendai. However, he will need other guys like Ryo Germain and Ramon Lopes to kick things up a notch.
While this fixture looks to be a sure-win for Cerezo Osaka, expect Vegalta Sendai to put up a fight as they look to salvage some pride in the ongoing J-League season.
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