Aiming to further extend their advantage at the summit of the standings, league leaders Machida Zelvia will welcome Nagoya Grampus to Machida Gion Stadion on Saturday afternoon for a J1 League clash.
Zelvia's unbeaten run continued last time out with an eventually-comfortable success at Gamba Osaka, whilst the Grampus Eight suffered another defeat, this time at the hands of Cerezo Osaka.
Match preview
Following a surprise 3-1 home defeat to mid-table dwellers Albirex Niigata on June 1, Machida Zelvia have got their unlikely quest for the J1 League crown back on track in commendable fashion, building up a four-game unbeaten streak, including a 3-1 win at Gamba Osaka last weekend.
The visitors were staring only their fifth loss of the league campaign in the face when Brazilian Welton opened the scoring for Gamba, but the first-half dismissal of Osaka right-back Riku Handa changed the complexion of the contest, with Zelvia going on to net three courtesy of Mitchell Duke, Shota Fujio and Keiya Sento.
Maximum points at the Panasonic Stadium - coupled with a Kashima Antlers loss at Vissel Kobe - represented a perfect weekend for Machida as they aim to lift the Japanese crown for the first time in their history, with Saturday's hosts now five points ahead at the top of the table.
Strangely, Zelvia have only collected 17 of their 43 league points so far at Machida Gion Stadion, leaving them sixth in the home table, with four of their last five defeats across all competitions coming in front of their own supporters, stretching back to last term.
After coming off the bench and holding his nerve from 12 yards out versus Gamba to put his side in the lead, 23-year-old Fujio has now netted eight goals this season, as many as he managed in the entirety of the second-tier campaign of 2023, highlighting how seamlessly the striker has made the step-up to the J1 League.
Following a promising start to the 2024 schedule - when they threatened to compete at the top end of the J1 League table - Nagoya are now enduring a worrying winless run, one which was extended to six matches on Sunday afternoon, when the Grampus Eight visited Cerezo Osaka and returned with zero points.
Netting his 15th goal of the league campaign, Cerezo's Brazilian sensation Leo made Nagoya his latest victims and before Fernandes doubled the hosts' cushion in the second period, meaning that Tojiro Kubo's first of the season was a mere consolation for the guests at Yodoko Sakura Stadium.
Having collected just two points from their last six J1 League battles, the Grampus Eight are marooned in mid-table ahead of this weekend's daunting trip to the home of league-leading Machida, with Kenta Hasegawa's troops last enjoying league victory at Sagan Tosu on May 18.
Despite containing a mostly Japanese core, the Nagoya ranks contain an international star in the form of Danish marksman Kasper Junker, with the 30-year-old a regular goalscorer for all of his employers throughout his career, especially at Bodo/Glimt in Norway, where he bagged 28 goals in just 26 appearances.
Machida will be hoping to do the double over Nagoya after a 1-0 scoreline in the reverse fixture in March, whilst neutrals will be praying for a repeat of the drama of the last meeting at Gion Stadion between these sides back in August 2017, when the Grampus Eight narrowly came out on top following a seven-goal thriller.
Team News
Conceding just two goals in their last four matches, Machida have the defence of a soon-to-be champion, with Gen Shoji and 24-time Kosovo international Ibrahim Dresevic a formidable centre-back pairing.
With the scores level at half time last weekend, Zento Uno was hooked off, meaning that it is unlikely that the 20-year-old will partner goalscoring Sento in the engine room for this one.
Uno's replacement Hokuto Shimoda provided an assist in the second 45, and the 32-year-old will feel as if he did enough to warrant a sixth J1 League start of the season on Saturday.
After failing to create a big chance despite having 60% of possession last time out, Nagoya are set to make changes to their forward line, with Yuya Yamagishi and Kensuke Nagai candidates to drop to the bench.
Brazilian veteran Patric could be promoted to the starting side, whilst centre-back Haruki Yoshida is likely to miss this contest after being forced off just eight minutes into his cameo on Sunday.
Machida Zelvia possible starting lineup:
Tani; Mochizuki, Dresevic, Shoji, Hayashi; Shimoda, Sento, Hirakawa; Fujio, Erik, Duke
Nagoya Grampus possible starting lineup:
Langerak; Nogami, Ha, Mikuni; Kubo, Inagaki, Shiihashi, Nakayama; Morishima, Nagai, Patric
We say: Machida Zelvia 1-0 Nagoya Grampus
After extending their lead in the J1 League title race by three points last weekend, Machida will be brimming with confidence and should have enough quality to beat an out-of-form Nagoya side.
The Grampus Eight have got into the unwanted habit of finding a way to lose in recent weeks, a trait that will serve them poorly at the home of the league leaders.
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Carter White
