Nagoya Grampus Eight

vs

Shimizu S-pulse

Preview

Head-to-Head

• Nagoya Grampus Eight have won 3 of the last 4 J League 2026 head-to-head meetings and drawn the other.
• Nagoya have won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1 of their 5 home games in all competitions so far, averaging 3.80 goals per game.

Nagoya Grampus Eight

• Nagoya boss Michael Petrovic has his side set up around a back three with wide wing-backs, allowing overloads in midfield and press traps.
• Nagoya have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five, so recent form is mixed.
• Nagoya's last two games were at home against Machida Zelvia, the first finishing 2-2 and the second an away 2-1 extra-time defeat.
• They have scored 19 goals at this ground in all competitions this season.

Shimizu S-pulse

• Shimizu boss Takayuki Yoshida plays with an attack-first mentality, using a back four and pushing numbers into the box to target crosses and set pieces.
• Shimizu's recent form is mixed, with one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five.

Key Players

• Nagoya have some serious firepower in forward Y. Yamagishi.
• He has scored four of those eight goals in the last five games.

Betting Insights

• Match odds: Nagoya 2.0, Shimizu 3.5, Draw 3.5.
• The pick from the preview: Nagoya and Under 3.5 goals.
• Shimizu have scored seven times in four away games in all competitions and are likely to get on the scoreboard.

Prediction

• Nagoya are the most likely winners at Toyota Stadium.
• Expect Shimizu to at least get on the board; the game looks suited to Nagoya and Under 3.5 goals.