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Vissel Kobe and Sanfrecce Hiroshima will trade tackles in the Japanese Super Cup on Saturday (February 8th). The game will be played at the New National Stadium.
Kobe have not been in action since ending their league campaign with a 3-0 home win in December 2024. Taisei Miyashiro, Yoshinori Muto and Takahiro Ogihara all scored a goal each to help their side claim all three points and celebrate their league triumph.
Sanfrecce, meanwhile, claimed a 2-1 victory over Cracovia in a club friendly last month. They were 2-0 up at the break courtesy of goals from Yotaro Nakajima and Tolgay Arslan while Cracovia halved the deficit with 13 minutes left on the clock.
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The Hiroshima outfit will kick-start their new domestic campaign in the Super Cup and are here as runners-up in the league last season following Kobe's domestic double.
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Sanfrecce have 27 wins from the last 57 head-to-head games. Vissel Kobe were victorious 16 times while 14 games ended in a share of the spoils.
- Their most recent clash came in July 2024 when Kobe claimed a 3-1 away win in the league.
- Sanfrecce's last six games have produced an average of 9.5 corner kicks.
- Four of the last six head-to-head games have produced three goals or more.
- Kobe have lost just one of their last 10 games across competitions, winning seven games in this sequence.
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Prediction
Vissel Kobe had never won a league title before 2023 but the Cows are now two-time defending champions of Japan. They will be aiming to make it a three-peat and will be keen to start the new campaign on a winning note.
Sanfrecce were finished last season, four points behind the eventual champions and were also eliminated by Kobe en route to their Emperors Cup win. Michael Skibbe's side were unbeaten in three pre-season friendlies (two wins) and will be keen to build on this in the curtain-raiser for Japanese football.
There is little to choose from between the two sides according to the bookmakers, but we are backing Kobe to claim a narrow victory with goals at both ends.
Prediction: Vissel Kobe 2-1 Sanfrecce
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Vissel Kobe to win
Tip 2 - Both teams to score
Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - Over 7.5 corner kicks
