Second-place Yokohama F·Marinos visit third-place Sagan Tosu for a midweek clash, but while the two teams are separated by just one place, they are in very different races.
Marinos are engaged in a title fight, having cut the deficit to defending champions Kawasaki Frontale to just four points for the top spot. Meanwhile, Sagan only hold third place on goal difference and the four teams behind them are all within three points in the race for AFC Champions League qualification.
It all starts up top for Marinos, who feature arguably the top attack in the league. Their 56 goals are joint-best with Frontale and an astounding 16 better than the third high-scoring team. They sold the prolific Ado Onaiwu to Toulouse FC in France and still feature the league’s second-highest goalscorer in Daizen Maeda, plus Léo Ceará and Marcos Júnior, whose seven goals apiece are tied for seventh among current top-flight players.
Sagan Tosu’s rise has been due in large part to an excellent defense that paced the league for much of the campaign, but it has slipped of late. Sagan no longer have the best defensive mark in the league, having kept a clean sheet just once in their last eight contests after holding opponents scoreless in nearly 60% of their matches previously. Now they will be facing a red-hot attack that at times seems unstoppable.
One advantage for Sagan will be the home crowd at Ekimae Real Estate Stadium. They will provide Sagan a lift, and if they can manage a result it will be a huge leg up on the competition. Most teams lose to powerful Marinos these days, and a point or three against them will pay off in a huge way at the end of the season.
On the other side, Marinos know any match against a strong Sagan team will be difficult, but another three points will be essential to continue their title charge and keeping the pressure on Kawasaki. Three points in Tosu would certainly do that.
Will the powerful Marinos attack prevail to keep the title race close? Or will Sagan’s defense rise to the challenge and keep them atop the packed group of top-three chasers? Find out this week in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE!
