Shonan Bellmare are set to host FC Tokyo at Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka in Japan's J1 League on Saturday, and the game could have significant ramifications at both ends of the table.
The home side are fourth-last in 17th place and are one point clear of the relegation zone with 15 points, while the visitors are eighth in the table with 27 points and are seven from the AFC Champions League playoff spot
Match preview
The hosts look set to be engulfed in another relegation battle come the end of the season, and they will be looking over their shoulders considering that 18th-placed Sagan Tosu are just one point behind them with a game in hand.
Since their first season back in the top flight in 2018, Bellmare have not finished higher than 12th and have twice featured in relegation playoff matches.
This term, however, there are no playoffs to help the home side escape relegation.
After 18 league games Bellmare are averaging just 0.83 points per game and this record would be their lowest figure since the 2020 season, when they finished last with 27 points but were spared relegation as a result of special measures which prevented demotion due to the coronavirus pandemic.
They have won only three times in the league this campaign including just twice in their last 16 matches, and while they did win their fourth-most recent match 2-1 against Albirex Niigata they have failed to win any of the following league fixtures.
Having said that, Bellmare's home form has somewhat stabilised of late, with the club winning two of their last four league matches at Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka, although they did lose their last home match 2-1 against Gamba Osaka.
Manager Satoshi Yamaguchi has been in charge since September 2021 and Bellmare remains the only club he has ever coached.
In his 118 games he has a 27% win record, and in his first full season Yamaguchi took the club to 41 points, their joint-highest top-flight total since the 2015 season.
On the other hand, opposition manager Peter Cklamovski has been at his current club since June 2023 and boasts a 44% win rate.
Cklamovski's side began the 2024 campaign positively by winning six of their first 12 league games, with two of their three losses in that period coming against current leaders Machida Zelvia and fourth-placed Vissel Kobe.
FC Tokyo drew their most recent league game against Jubilo Iwata, and though they won their previous game against Sagan Tosu they have failed to win five of their last six fixtures.
Over the last five league games their form is the joint-sixth worst in the division, and it has led to a seven-point gap opening between FC Tokyo and third-placed Gamba Osaka, who occupy the division's AFC Champions League playoff spot.
Having said that, the vistors are still averaging 1.5 points per game this season, their highest figure since the 2020 campaign when they finished sixth.
Cklamovski's side have also improved their poor away record in recent matches having won three of their last four league games on the road and losing only twice in their eight matches away from home this season.
For reference, prior to this campaign FC Tokyo had only won seven of their previous 31 away league fixtures.
Team News
Koki Tachi could be set for his third consecutive start for the hosts after returning from the major hamstring injury he suffered in December 2023, but Kim Min-tae is likely to remain out as a result of a broken foot, which has kept him out since late May.
Shonan Bellmare will also be without midfielder Taiga Hata because of torn ankle ligaments, though Kosuke Onose could be set for his third start since returning from the hamstring injury he suffered in April.
In addition to this, attacking midfielder Taiyo Hiraoka is set to miss out due to an adductor injury, while forward Ryo Nemoto continues to recover from a ligament tear.
The visitors are set to be without centre-back Renta Higashi and midfielder Tsubasa Terayama due to serious cruciate ligament and knee medial ligament tears respectively.
Elsewhere, right-back Kosuke Shirai is not expected back until July, while Yasuki Kimoto is a doubt after breaking his nose in early June.
Keita Yamashita has not played since May 2023 after suffering meniscus damage and can be expected to miss out.
Henrique Trevisan is also out of Saturday's clash after accumulating too many yellow cards.
Shonan Bellmare possible starting lineup:
Bum-keun; Takahashi, Tachi, Ono; Suzuki, Ikeda, Tanaka, Abe, Onose; Fukuda, Lukian
FC Tokyo possible starting lineup:
Nozawa; Nakamura, Morishige, Trevisan, Nagatomo; Ko, Nakagawa, Koizumi; Anzai, Oliveira, Tawaratsumida
We say: Shonan Bellmare 2-2 FC Tokyo
Despite the fact that FC Tokyo have struggled for form of late, they have performed well away from home this season.
However, Bellmare's relatively good home form will no doubt make Saturday's clash an intriguing affair, and could be enough to stifle FC Tokyo's greater quality.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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