J1 League Preview: Pohang Steelers’ Home Form Plummets, Kawasaki Frontale’s Key Defender Sits Out

On August 24th at 18:00, the 28th round of the J1 League will see Pohang Steelers host Kawasaki Frontale at the Saitama Stadium.

In last weekend’s J1 League match, Pohang Steelers managed a 0-0 draw away against their Derby rivals Kashima Antlers. Despite controlling possession, Pohang struggled to create threatening opportunities. The offside goal by Kashima’s attacker Hayato Nakajima in the dying minutes sent chills through Pohang’s ranks, but fortunately, the referee disallowed it following VAR intervention. Pohang’s manager Miroslav Djukić did not show much dissatisfaction with the team’s current poor form and insisted on conducting high-intensity training sessions for the players under the scorching sun on Tuesday and Wednesday. He then advised the players to ignore negative public opinion on social media to focus on the next match.

Currently, in the J1 League standings, Pohang Steelers are temporarily ranked 10th with 9 wins, 8 draws, and 9 losses, trailing the top three by 13 points. With 11 rounds left in the season, it will be challenging to catch up. However, in this season’s 13 home matches, Pohang Steelers achieved an impressive record of 6 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses, ranking sixth in home scoring ability, though slightly down from previous years, still commendable in this season’s rankings. In their last three home games, however, Pohang Steelers suffered defeats to Shonan Bellmare, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and Newcastle United. Before this game, Coach Djukić emphasized his hope to return to winning ways at home before September.

In terms of squad, Pohang Steelers’ main striker Thiago Santana has recovered from injury, and apart from attacker Yuki Amemiya, there are no other doubts about player availability, so the situation is relatively optimistic. Additionally, reports suggest that Pohang displayed unusual vitality during their open training session on the 19th of this month, but the open training session scheduled for the 22nd was canceled due to a day off, casting doubt over Pohang’s current form.

The visiting Kawasaki Frontale lost 1-3 at home to their old rivals Yokohama F. Marinos in their last league match. In the first half, Kawasaki Frontale could still maintain an offensive stance against the AFC Champions League runners-up, but after the break, Kawasaki’s defense appeared overwhelmed, and repeated defensive errors by central defender Daiki Takahashi allowed Yokohama F. Marinos to build a three-goal lead. Regarding this defeat that abruptly ended a three-game winning streak, Kawasaki’s coach Naoki Soma said in a post-match interview, “We need to seriously improve our ability to seize opportunities. Also, our main goalkeeper Seung-gyu Jung has been in poor form recently, so I brought on second-choice goalkeeper Yusuke Hayasaka, but today’s match was very tough for him.”

Currently, in the J1 League standings, Kawasaki Frontale are temporarily ranked 13th with 8 wins, 10 draws, and 9 losses, trailing the championship group by 15 points and likely to remain mid-table this season. In Kawasaki Frontale’s 13 away matches this season, they have a disappointing record of 3 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses, conceding nearly 1.9 goals per game on average, ranking 16th in away scoring ability. However, in their last two away matches, Kawasaki Frontale secured three points each against Kashiwa Reysol and FC Tokyo, thanks to the outstanding performance of young player Arata Yamada.

In terms of squad, Kawasaki Frontale will continue to miss the help of two central defenders Jesse and Yūshi Maruyama. Additionally, the national team’s main central defender Daiki Takahashi is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, which means Colombian import César is likely to start in this match. His integration into the team remains unclear.

In the past 20 encounters between the two teams, Kawasaki Frontale has a slight advantage with 8 wins, 7 draws, and 5 losses. In this round of the league, Pohang Steelers, eager to turn around their fortunes at home, will face a Kawasaki Frontale defense struggling with personnel shortages, hoping to quickly regain their previous excellent attacking form and cause trouble for the home team.

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