Kobe defeated FC Tokyo 0-2 on home soil. After this game, they tasted defeat for the first time in the last 9 rounds of the league, and the boulder on the road ahead seems to be getting heavier and heavier. In my opinion, the key to Victory ship's loss was their failure to effectively limit Ryotaro Araki, the centerpiece of FC Tokyo's midfield, who was able to roam the pitch and build the blueprint for his team's offense.
In this matchup, the fearlessness of the players will be the key to whether Victory will be able to turn the tide. In the face of Iwata Yamaha's onslaught, Victory's players will have to be courageous and try to take advantage of the waves and curb their opponent's winning streak.
Looking back at the match two weeks ago, Yamaha Iwata defeated Sakura Osaka by a score of 2-1, a victory that injected a shot in the arm for their relegation campaign. In this matchup, Yamaha will need to make sure their defense is solid, their midfield is comfortable, and their forward line takes advantage of their chances while aggressively competing for second down points. Against Katsushika's powerful forwards Isamu Osako and Yoshinori Muto, Yamaha will have to play tight defense and avoid giving their opponents too much free space.
In the match against Sakura, Coach Xie Ming skillfully orchestrated the two-goal scoring, showing his high level of confidence in his team. With his amazing speed and keen eye for goal, Xie Ming will be the top threat in today's match.
However, Kobe Victory have a well-organized midfield, solid defense, and are good at attacking from the second down point. Accordingly, I predict that they are expected to get back to winning ways in today's match and take all three points to continue their push for the league title.
