J2 League Preview: Fujieda Faces Final Home Match of the Season, Chiba Original Struggles with Away Offense

On October 26 at 13:00, in the 36th round of the J2 League, Fujieda MYFC will host strong opponents Chiba Original at the Fujieda Comprehensive Sports Park.

In the 35th round of the J2 League on October 20, Fujieda MYFC suffered a 0-3 away defeat to Tokushima Vortis. The team failed to create many offensive opportunities during the match. Star striker Ken Yashimura, who had been consistently performing well, was stifled by Tokushima’s dense central defense. Veteran Ryota Kajikawa also showed signs of fatigue in the final stages of the season and was unable to effectively stop the attacks. After the match, Fujieda coach Daisuke Sudo commented, “I believe we were always playing against the wind and couldn’t deliver the decisive passes. We were too rigid and couldn’t make the assists that would hit the opponent’s weak points, which led to us constantly losing possession and falling into the opponent’s rhythm.”

Currently, in the J2 League standings, Fujieda MYFC is 12th with 14 wins, 4 draws, and 17 losses, leading the relegation zone by 14 points, thus securing theoretical safety from relegation. With only one point earned in the last four league matches, Fujieda has no hope of making the promotion playoffs. Coach Daisuke Sudo stated in a pre-match press conference that although the team cannot advance to the top six, they will still strive for a higher league position. Additionally, Fujieda’s home record this season has been relatively good, with 25 points from 18 home matches, placing them in the upper half of the league in terms of points earned. This match happens to be Fujieda’s final home game of the season, so they are highly motivated.

In terms of team selection, Fujieda will be without midfielder Kanji Nitta for this match. However, star striker Ken Yashimura is likely to return to his former club Niigata Swan at the end of the season, making this match potentially his farewell at the Fujieda Comprehensive Sports Park.

Chiba Original secured a 2-1 home victory over Kofu Wind Forest last weekend. They conceded the first goal in the second half but turned the tide after the substitutions of Makoto Hayashi and Yasuhiro Yamagoshi. Ultimately, winger Kazuki Tanaka scored in a counterattack, helping Chiba achieve an inspiring home win. Coach Kei Koizumi told the media, “I think we managed to show our resilience in the end, but I wasn’t sure if we could control the pace until the water break in the second half. I still want to continue improving our tactical knowledge.”

Currently, in the J2 League standings, Chiba Original is 4th with 18 wins, 4 draws, and 13 losses. The team holds a favorable position for the promotion playoffs and has a better goal difference compared to the teams behind them, such as Okayama, Sendai, and Yamagata. However, in their 17 away matches this season, Chiba Original has won 6, drawn 3, and lost 8, averaging just over 1 goal per match, significantly less than their average of 2.5 goals per home match. Furthermore, Chiba faces strong opponents Nagasaki and Yamagata in their next two matches, making the result against Fujieda crucial for the team.

In terms of team selection, Chiba’s central midfielder Taishi Taguchi had to leave early due to injury in the last match. Team captain Daiki Suzuki and attacker Masahiro Kaze also missed the match due to injuries, forcing Coach Kei Koizumi to play right-back Riku Matsuda as a center-back and include defensive-minded Yohei Kobayashi in the midfield.

In previous encounters, Fujieda has suffered two consecutive losses against Chiba. In this round, Chiba Original, aiming to consolidate their fourth-place position and coming off a four-game winning streak, will face a determined Fujieda looking to prove their growth in their final home match of the season.

>>”>For more predictions and analysis, click >>>