Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Yokohama FC will trade tackles at the Edion Stadium on Sunday, with three points on the line in the J1 League.
The home side played out a 1-1 draw with Sagan Tosu in league action last weekend. Junior Santos and Noriyoshi Sakai scored second-half goals to ensure that the sides shared the spoils.
Yokohama FC also played out a 1-1 draw with Shimizu S-Pulse in their most recent fixture. Kazume Watanabe and Andrevaldo Santos scored at both ends of the field to share the points.
The respective draws left the sides in 9th and 20th places in the table respectively. Sanfrecce Hiroshima have garnered 30 points from 21 games to comfortably sit in mid-table. Yokohama FC are bottom of the table and need to start accruing points to avoid relegation.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Yokohama FC Head-to-Head
Sanfrecee Hiroshima have 10 wins from 14 matches played between the two sides while Yokohama have two wins to their name. Two games have ended in a stalemate.
Their most recent meeting came in April, when Yuya Asano's first-half brace put Sanfrecee Hiroshima on their way to a 3-0 victory in a league fixture.
The hosts have lost just one of their last five games in all competitions, although three games in this sequence ended in a draw. Yokohama FC have been in free fall and are without a win in their last nine games.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima form guide (all competitions): D-W-L-D-D
Yokohama FC form guide (all competitions): D-L-L-L-L
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Yokohama FC Team News
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
The home side have Ryo Nagai sidelined with an injury but there are no suspension concerns for Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Injury: Ryo Nagai
Suspension: none
Yokohama FC
Haruki Saruta is still sidelined through injury but there are no suspension worries for manager Tomonobu Hayakawa.
Injury: Haruki Saruta
Suspension: none
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Yokohama FC Prediction
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Predicted XI (3-4-3): Keisuke Osako (GK); Sho Sasaki, Hayato Araki, Yuki Nogami; Yoshifumi Kashiwa, Toshihiro Aayama, Hayao Kawabe, Tomoya Fujii; Tsukasa Morishima, Yuya Asano, Junior Santos
Yokohama FC Predicted XI (3-4-3): Yuji Rokutan (GK); Yutaro Hakamata, Han Hogang, Masahiko Inoha; Yuya Takagi, Tatsuki Seko, Hideto Takahashi, Yota Maejima; Ryo Germain, Kejiro Ogawa, Kazume Watanabe
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Yokohama FC Prediction
Yokohama FC's poor campaign so far has put them on the path to relegation and it is difficult to see them get anything away from home. The hosts have flattered to deceive in recent weeks but should still have too much class for Yokohama.
Both sides are relatively conservative in their play, so a cagey game of few chances can be expected. We are predicting a narrow victory for Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Prediction: Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1-0 Yokohama FC
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