Kashima Antlers

vs

FC Tokyo

Preview

Kashima Antlers

• Kashima Antlers are top of the J1 100 Year Vision League East group with 40 points from 17 matches (W12, D4, L1).
• Toru Oniki’s pragmatic and highly organised 4-4-2 set-up is designed to be solid in the middle and deadly in transition.
• Antlers’ most recent outing was the 2-0 away win at JEF United.

FC Tokyo

• FC Tokyo are second in the East group with 33 points from 17 games, seven points behind Kashima and leading the chasing pack.
• FC Tokyo have scored as many goals as Kashima this season (28) but have conceded 15 to the hosts’ nine in the league.
• Tokyo have three wins, one draw (won on penalties) and one defeat in their last five.

Key Players

• Ryūnosuke Satō has added a spark to their attack with goals and some of his famous energy.
• Tomoki Hayakawa, last season’s J.League MVP award winner, is in fine form and can be trusted to shut out Tokyo in shots he can reach.
• But it is the set pieces he will command that will be the biggest threat to the visitors, who should be wary of striker Léo Ceará, Antlers’ top scorer this season and always a threat in the box.
• Marcelo Ryan is a big, mobile centre-forward and among the J.League’s top scorers, but Endo’s creativity and wide service to him will be key to their attacking transitions.

Betting Insights

• The hosts are the slight favorites at 2.43, which seems about right given their strong home form and current defensive record, but Tokyo should also be respected at 2.85.
• The draw is coming in at 3.28.
• The under 2.5 goals market is coming in at 1.71, which is good value considering this match has tight written all over it.

Prediction

• We’re taking Antlers to edge this contest by a score of 1-0 at odds of 2.43, but would not be surprised if Matsuhashi’s men found a way to get an equaliser.
• A 1-1 draw is our second choice at 3.28 and could easily be the outcome of a cagey and tense clash in which both managers know the stakes are high.