Kashima Antlers will welcome Nagoya Grampus to the Kashima Soccer Stadium for the second leg of their J League Cup quarterfinal tie on Sunday.
The tie is firmly in the balance with both sides having played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Wednesday. Yuta Matsumura broke the deadlock for the Antlers in the 49th minute, while Tojiro Kubo leveled matters in injury time.
The winner of this tie will face either FC Tokyo or Avispa Fukuoka in the last four for a place in the final.
Kashima Antlers be Nagoya Grampus Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two sides have clashed on 95 occasions in the past. Kashima Antlers have 55 wins to their name, Nagoya Grampus were victorious on 33 occasions, while seven games ended in a share of the spoils.
- One of those draws came in their most recent meeting in the first leg in midweek.
- The last 10 head-to-head games have produced less than three goals.
- Nagoya Grampus are winless in five games in all competitions, losing three games in this sequence.
- Kashima Antlers have lost just one of their last seven games in all competitions (four wins).
- Nagoya Grampus have lost their last five away games on the bounce.
- Six of Kashima Antlers' last nine games have witnessed goals at both ends.
Kashima Antlers be Nagoya Grampus Prediction
Kashima Antlers were denied a winner in the first leg in the dying stages of the game. They have been the more consistent side heading into this game, having not lost any of their last four games.
Nagoya Grampus, by contrast, have struggled in recent weeks and are winless in five games on the bounce. Their struggles have been most poignant on their travels, losing each of their last five away games.
Games between the two sides tend to be cagey and compact affairs, with the last 10 games between the two sides producing less than three goals per game. We are backing Kashima Antlers to claim a narrow win in addition to a clean sheet.
Prediction: Kashima Antlers 1-0 Nagoya Grampus
Kashima Antlers be Nagoya Grampus Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Kashima Antlers to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score: No
Tip 3 - Under 2.5 goals (The last 10 head-to-head games have produced less than three goals)
Tip 4 - Highest-scoring half: Second half
Tip 5 - First-half result: Draw