Head-to-Head
Kashima Antlers are 28 wins to 14 ahead of JEF United Ichihara Chiba in the overall head-to-head record.
Kashima Antlers
- Kashima are unbeaten in five, winning four consecutive matches, conceding just three goals.
- Kashima boss Toru Oniki has installed a solid, disciplined and attack-minded approach on his side.
- Their style is based on patient possession football with build-up play from the back and squad rotation in a flexible 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system.
JEF United Ichihara Chiba
- JEF United have taken only five points from their first six league matches, sitting in the lower half of the J1 100 Year Vision League EAST.
- JEF United Ichihara Chiba have had an up-and-down start to the campaign with two defeats, one win and two draws in their last five competitive games and have not fully adjusted to the intensity of J1 in the new league format.
- JEF United’s only win in their last five came against Kashiwa Reysol, while their two draws and two defeats have been due to a combination of lapses in defence and failure to finish chances.
- Both teams are likely to be at full strength with no absentees mentioned by either side for the game at Mercari Stadium.
Key Players
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Kashima key players:
- Gaku Shibasaki is the conductor of Kashima’s midfield, controlling the tempo and delivering some of the most dangerous set pieces in the league this season.
- Yuta Higuchi provides the most creativity for the front four, providing through passes and crosses for striker Yuma Suzuki, who has scored and assisted multiple goals in early 2026.
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JEF United key players:
- Daichi Ishikawa is JEF United’s leading scorer, but he carries the burden of the majority of the goal threat in the absence of a prolific striker.
- Support attackers Hiroto Goya and Carlinhos Júnior are talented and can provide pace and a secondary threat, but both have been inconsistent this season.
Betting Insights
- The bookmakers have Kashima Antlers as the 1.65 favorites to beat JEF United Ichihara Chiba in the J1 100 Year Vision League on Sunday.
- The draw is 3.75.
- Backing the favourites could pay off with a 2-0 or 2-1 margin of victory.
- Bookies may favour markets like under 2.5 goals and both teams to score.
Prediction
- Kashima are expected to have enough quality to win the game.
- A Kashima win would extend their group lead and keep their title defence on track while for JEF it would be a huge lift to their survival chances and confidence levels if they could upset the odds.
- Likely scoreline: 2-0 or 2-1.
