Two teams in highly contrasting form go head-to-head in round 21 of the 2023 J1 League season on Sunday as FC Tokyo welcome Kashima Antlers to the Ajinomoto Stadium.

The hosts head into this one looking to pick up a fifth win in six games across all competitions, while their visitors set out to end a four-match winless run.

Match preview

FC Tokyo just about made it through to the last 16 of the Emperor's Cup by seeing off the threat of city rivals Tokyo Verdy via penalties on Wednesday.

Peter Cklamovski's men took the lead 10 minutes shy of half time through Koki Tsukagawa but conceded a second-half equaliser to Ryosuke Shirai, after which Kaito Chida suffered the agony of missing the crucial spot-kick in a thrilling shootout.

Before then, the Chofu-based side played out a goalless stalemate against Urawa Red Diamonds, which left them 11th in the J1 League table, two points off the top half.

Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams over the last five meetings, which have yielded two wins apiece and one draw.

Off the back of four straight wins on home turf, Sunday's hosts will be confident of getting the job done in front of their fans once again.

Kashima Antlers were dumped out of the Japanese Cup in an agonising defeat to Kofu on penalties in Wednesday's meeting at the Kashima Soccer Stadium.

Daiki Iwamasa's men fell behind to Riku Nozawa's opener five minutes into the second half but managed to restored parity through Yuki Kakita, after which Getulio kept his nerve from 12 yards to settle a tense shootout.

With 30 points picked up from their 20 league matches so far, the Antlers sit sixth in the J1 standings, albeit now a whopping nine points behind Nagoya Grampus in the race for the last continental spot.

Having failed to win any of their last four matches on the road, Sunday's visitors will be keen to turn their away fortunes around with a positive result this weekend.

Team News

Despite failing to score in his last seven matches, Yuma Suzuki remains Kashima Antlers' leading goalscorer with eight and will be looking to deliver the goods.

Ikuma Sekigawa was given a rare breather in midweek, but the defender is expected to return to the visitors' starting lineup for this one.

Tokyo's Diego Oliveira has netted in two of the last three meetings against Sunday's opponents, making the Brazilian one to keep an eye on here.

Eighteen-year-old Naoki Kumata will be pushing for a place in the XI after making his return to action from an injury layoff against Verdy last time out.

FC Tokyo possible starting lineup:
Slowik; Nagatomo, Henrique, Kimoto, Koizumi; Abe, Matsuki, Higashi; Watanabe, Oliveira, Tawaratsumida

Kashima Antlers possible starting lineup:
Hayakawa; Anzai, Sekigawa, Ueda, Hirose; Pituca, Higuchi; Nakama, Doi, Nago; Suzuki

We say: FC Tokyo 2-1 Kashima Antlers

FC Tokyo head into this weekend's encounter on a better run of results and coupled with the added advantage of playing on home turf, we are backing them to come away with all three points, albeit by only a narrow margin.


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