J2 League Preview: Vegalta Sendai’s Midfield Core Heads to Australia, Fukushima United’s Away Performance Not to Be Underestimated

On August 31st at 18:00, the 29th round of the J2 League will see Vegalta Sendai host their Tohoku Derby rivals, Fukushima United FC, at the Yurtec Stadium.

In the 28th round of the J2 League held last weekend, Vegalta Sendai suffered a 2-4 away defeat against Chiba, with their defense collapsing in the second half, repeatedly conceding goals to Chiba’s Kosuke Hayama. The performance of central defenders Yuki Matsuha and Makoto Sugita was criticized by fans after the match. Regarding this comprehensive defeat against their nemesis, Vegalta Sendai’s head coach Yoshiro Moriyama stated, “We faced an early injury to Ryo Takanashi, so we had no choice but to substitute Takumi Masanami, whose defensive skills were lacking. Another issue is that our performance in this game was terrible, I believe we were unable to stop the opponent’s crosses effectively.”

Currently in the J2 League standings, Vegalta Sendai temporarily stands at 5th place with a record of 13 wins, 8 draws, and 7 losses. They are 13 points behind the direct promotion zone, and it is likely they will only be fighting for a playoff spot this season. However, their lead over the 7th position has narrowed down to just 4 points and is gradually being eroded. In their 13 home games this season, Vegalta Sendai has achieved a record of 7 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, without a significant improvement in scoring ability compared to away games. However, in their last three home matches, Vegalta Sendai managed to defeat three motivated teams—Tochigi SC, Shimizu S-Pulse, and Kagoshima United—showing commendable offensive performance.

In terms of squad selection, Vegalta Sendai will definitely miss the assistance of left-back Ryo Takanashi in this match. However, foreign defender Matheus Morais is expected to return, providing some help to the defense. Notably, key midfielder Koki Nagasawa officially left the team after the last match against Chiba to join A-League side Wellington Phoenix, a loss considered significant by head coach Yoshiro Moriyama.

The visiting Fukushima United FC lost 3-4 at home in the last league match against relegation-threatened Kumamoto. Team captain and center-back Hiroma Onikura was substituted off due to injury before halftime, and substitute Riku Ohsawa clearly could not grasp the team’s defensive tactics, leading to several missed marks and conceded goals. This is the third time since July that Fukushima has conceded four goals in a single game. Speaking about the unexpected home defeat, Fukushima head coach Yusuke Tanaka said in a press conference, “This is my fault. We did not win a match we should have won. I regret what happened, and we need to improve on the parts where we fell short.”

Currently in the J2 League standings, Fukushima United FC is temporarily in 7th place with 12 wins, 7 draws, and 9 losses, just 2 points away from the promotion playoff zone, and still holding an advantage in goal difference. In their 13 away games this season, Fukushima United FC has achieved a record of 7 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, ranking fourth in the league for away scoring ability, with an average of fewer than 0.7 goals conceded per away game. Their strategy of offense-driven defense has yielded notable results. In their last two away games, Fukushima United FC surprisingly defeated Yamagata and Chiba, maintaining excellent away form.

In terms of squad selection, Fukushima will still be without Ryo Yokoyama, Shusei Tashiro, and Yuma Kato due to injuries, but new summer signing Naoki Kumada scored in the last league match, bringing a qualitative leap to the team’s attack.

In the previous three encounters between the two sides, both teams have achieved 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, showing a balanced trend. This round of the league features one of the fiercest derbies in the J2 League—the Tohoku Derby. Vegalta Sendai aims to return to winning ways with the advantage of home field, while dark horse Fukushima United is not willing to be outdone. What sparks will these two teams ignite?

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