Albirex Niigata will host Vissel Kobe on Friday night to kick off the J1 League weekend. Both teams go into round No 20 unbeaten in back-to-back games.
Vissel Kobe are third in the standings and five points off first-placed Yokohama F. Marinos.
新潟戦まで残り2日🔥勝利を目指してトレーニング🏃🏻♂️👊Training for our next match against Niigata! 💪#visselkobe #ヴィッセル神戸 pic.twitter.com/Z8eZyKvHjx— ヴィッセル神戸 (@visselkobe) July 5, 2023
新潟戦まで残り2日🔥勝利を目指してトレーニング🏃🏻♂️👊Training for our next match against Niigata! 💪#visselkobe #ヴィッセル神戸 pic.twitter.com/Z8eZyKvHjx
The title battle is tight and Kobe must continue to win to have any chance of overtaking Yokohama in the race for the championship.
Albirex Niigata are 13th in the standings after 19 matches. They took 21 points from their opening fixtures and are nine points off last-placed Shonan Bellmare.
Although Albirex Niigata are unbeaten in back-to-back J1 League games, they took just five points from the last six fixtures.
Nigata only scored 21 times in their opening 19 fixtures. They are not a strong-scoring side.
Vissel Kobe, on the other hand, picked up 11 points from their last six matches. They conceded just one goal across their last two fixtures and scored four times.
Kobe are the league’s second-best away team behind Yokohama F. Marinos. They have a record of 5W-2D-1L on the road this term.
Albirex Niigata have been up and down at home, posting a record of 4W-2D-4L. They were outscored at home 16-13 in the 10 fixtures.
The reverse fixture between the clubs was uneventful and ended nil-nil.
Kobe are on a run of four straight matches without a defeat against Albirex Niigata in all competitions. Vissel outscored Albirex Niigata 11-5 in their last six meetings.
Kobe centre-back Ryuho Kikuchi is out with a cruciate ligament injury. Right-back Tetsushi Yamakawa is likely to miss the game following a metatarsal fracture.
Vissel Kobe drew 1-1 with Sapporo in their round No 19 game thanks to a Thuler goal. Yuya Osako leads the team in scoring with 11 goals.
He did not start against Sapporo and came off the bench. Manager Yoshida may start Osaka against Albirex Niigata.
For Niigata, captain Yuto Horigome is unlikely to play following an injury. Midfielder Yoshiaki Takagi is also a doubt to make the matchday squad.
Manager Matsuhashi uses a 4-4-2 formation, utilising two strikers. Attacking midfielder Ryotaro Ito leads the team with seven goals.
Vissel Kobe are unbeaten in four straight games against Albirex Niigata in all competitions.
Friday’s match should end in a 2-1 win for Vissel Kobe as they continue their good run of form. The victory will keep them on Yokohama’s tail in the title race.