Oita Sanshin has not lost a single match so far, but last week they could only draw 0-0 with Shimizu S Pulse, recording their first draw of the season.
Oita Sanshin had a hard time for most of the game, especially in the second half, so I think they should be happy to get a point from the visitors. I think Naofumi Nomura will play an important role for Oita Mikami in this match. Whether the team can successfully attack Chiba Ichihara or not depends on how he can tackle in the gap between the midfield and backfield of the opponent.
Chiba Ichihara have not won a game since their opening match last Sunday when they lost 0-1 to Akita Blue Lightning. Although they had the ball for most of the match, their attacking play often failed to produce results, and it seems that their new supervisor, Keiyuki Kobayashi, has yet to create an ideal midfield formation.
One of the consolations is that Hidetoshi Komori has been quite outstanding in the front line. The 22 year old striker has the ability to get into openings, not only is he confident in front of goal, but he also has a certain degree of control, and like all strikers, he can score consistently and has scored 3 goals so far this season.
