Saturday Preview: Yokohama FC Riding High at Home, Chiba Struggles with Defense on the Road

On August 3rd at 5 PM, the 25th round of the J2 League will see Yokohama FC host Chiba at the Misaki Park Stadium.

In their away match on July 14th, Yokohama FC was held to a 2-2 draw by relegation-threatened Mito HollyHock in the 24th round of the J2 League. Trailing by two goals in the second half, substitute attackers Sho Ito and Riki Takahashi turned the game around with two quick goals. Takahashi even had a chance for a last-minute winner but couldn’t convert. After the hard-fought draw, Yokohama FC’s head coach Naoyoshi Shiotani said, “I’m disappointed, but it can’t be changed. Coming back from being two goals down, this point is still valuable, so we want to keep fighting for points in the remaining matches.”

Currently in the J2 League standings, Yokohama FC sits in 3rd place with a record of 15 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses, just one point behind the direct promotion spots. In their 11 home games this season, they have an impressive record of 8 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, conceding fewer than 0.6 goals per game on average. In their previous three home games, Yokohama FC defeated mid-table teams FC Ehime, Kumamoto and Akita Blue Thunder, showing consistent form.

In terms of squad, Yokohama FC will be without striker Kaito Morihisa, midfielder Keiki Mita, winger Reihi Shinai, and Vietnamese attacker Cong Phuong due to injuries, which will affect the team’s depth. However, new signings João Paulo and Mitchell Lima are available for selection after completing their registrations during the transfer window. João Paulo scored five goals and provided three assists in the Portuguese LigaPro last season, performing commendably.

Chiba, who were shockingly defeated 0-2 by Kumamoto at home before the break, had a very loose defense in that match, even allowing 16-year-old Keito Kamiyama to score his second goal of the season from a set piece. Chiba’s head coach, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, analyzed the defeat: “Our first-half performance was good, and if we had scored then, it would have been better. We had issues with our defensive intensity on the flanks in the second half and conceded from a set piece, which is unacceptable.”

In the current J2 League table, Chiba is in 7th place with a record of 11 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses, two points shy of the promotion playoff spots. With a goal difference of +14, they still have an advantage. However, in their 12 away games this season, they have won 4, drawn 2, and lost 6, with an average of 1.25 goals conceded per game, far less impressive than their home form. In their last two away league matches, Chiba suffered surprise defeats to Shimizu S-Pulse and Tochigi SC, indicating poor form.

In terms of squad, Chiba’s starting right-back Kazumasa Takemoto will return from suspension, but defenders Ryota Kubota and Daisuke Suzuki remain sidelined, along with reserve forward Taichi Sakuuma, who has a season-ending injury. During the transfer window, Chiba signed Gamba Osaka winger Naohiro Iio on loan, who will be available for this match.

In their last 20 meetings, Yokohama FC has 6 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses against Chiba. In this round, Yokohama FC aims to use their home advantage to secure all three points and enter the direct promotion zone. Can Chiba, who also face promotion pressure, avoid defeat away from home?

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