Kashima Antlers vs Tokyo

Kashima Soccer Stadium sets the stage for a high-stakes J1 League showdown between Kashima Antlers and Tokyo.

Kashima Antlers’ hopes of landing their first J1 League title since 2016 are in tatters after a dismal run of just one win across their last six league outings (D3, L2) left them eight points adrift of table-topping Machida Zelvia. Romped by Yokohama F. Marinos 6-1 this past weekend, Ranko Popovic’s men return to the home comforts of the Kashima Soccer Stadium, where they boast an indomitable record this J1 League campaign (W7, D4). But that doesn’t mean Kashima can afford to take this fixture lightly, as they’d drawn back-to-back home league games before beating rock-bottom Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2-0 last time out. Tokyo’s upcoming visit spells further doubt, with the Antlers going winless in consecutive top-flight H2Hs at home (D1, L1) since a 3-0 win in May 2021.

On the other hand, Tokyo returned to winning ways after two successive league losses with a 2-0 home triumph against Albirex Niigata, reducing the gap on third-placed Vissel Kobe to only five points. Despite winning 50% of their away J1 League games this season (W5, D2, L3), the visitors must approach this contest carefully after suffering two defeats on their last four league travels (W2). Interestingly, both those losses saw Tokyo concede precisely three goals, while their two wins in that sequence came by an identical 1-0 scoreline. Conceding first would likely be the scourge of Tokyo’s hopes of pulling off an upset in Kashima, given they’ve failed to win four of their five away league matches after falling behind this term (W1, D2, L2).