Shonan Bellmare will host Gamba Osaka at the Lemon Gas Stadium in Hiratsuka on Wednesday, with three points on the line in the J1 League.
This matchday 19 fixture can well be considered a relegation six-pointer, as just four points separate the two sides on the table.
The visitors are better off in 14th place, having accrued 17 points from 17 games to date. Gamba Osaka are four spots below but have four games in hand.
Shonan Bellmare come into this game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Tokushima Vortis. Caca and Shuto Machino scored first-half goals to ensure the points were shared.
Gamba Osaka picked up a 2-0 home win against Yokohama FC. Leandro Pereira scored a brace to help the Black and Blues pick up all three points.
Shonan Bellmare vs Gamba Osaka Head-to-Head
Gamba Osaka have a much better record in their previous 13 matches against Shonan Bellmare.
The Osaka outfit have 10 wins to their name, while Bellmare were victorious on two occasions. One previous game ended in a share of the spoils.
Their most recent meeting came in December 2020 when goals from Yuya Fukuda and Patric helped Gambo Osaka pick up a 2-1 win away from home.
The visitors have won consecutive league matches for the first time this season, having gone seven games without a win. Shonan are winless in five games in all competitions.
Shonan Bellmare form guide (all competitions): D-D-L-D-L
Gambo Osaka form guide: W-W-L-L-L
Shonan Bellmare vs Gamba Osaka Team News
Shonan Bellmare
The hosts have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of the game. However, the duo of Daiki Hotta and Tarik Elyounoussi will both undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Doubtful: Daiki Hotta, Tarik Elyounoussi
Gamba Osaka
The visitors have three players sidelined by injuries. Jun Ichimori, Yuchi Ono and Haruto Shirai are all unavailable for selection.
There are no suspension concerns for coach Tsuneyasu Miyamoto.
Injuries: Jun Ichimori, Yuchi Ono, Haruto Shirai
Suspension: None
Shonan Bellmare vs Gamba Osaka Predicted XI
Shonan Bellmare Predicted XI (3-5-2): Kosei Tani (GK); Kazunari Ono, Hirokazu Ishihara, Koki Tachi; Satoshi Tanaka, Taiga Hata, Taiyo Hiraoka, Shintaro Nago, Takuya Ogamoto; Wellington, Shuto Machino
Gamba Osaka Predicted XI (4-4-2): Masaaki Higashiguchi (GK); Young-Gwon Kim, Gen Shoji, Genta Miura, Kosuke Onose; Dai Tsukamoto, Shinya Yajima, Yosuke Ideguchi, Shu Kurata; Takashi Usami, Patric
Shonan Bellmare vs Gamba Osaka Prediction
Gamba Osaka have been surprisingly inconsistent this season, which has seen them involved in a relegation fight. However, consecutive victories might prove to be the turning point in their campaign.
The two sides have struggled in attack and this could translate into a cagey game of few chances. We are predicting a narrow victory for Gamba Osaka.
Prediction: Shonan Bellmare 0-1 Gamba Osaka
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