Yokohama Mariners last round of the league is 2: after three defeats in Kashima Antlers, the last eight league games recorded only one win, the form is quite low.
One area that the Mariners need to improve on is their reaction to opponents when they counterattack on offense. In my opinion, they need to step up their speed from offense to defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, I think Nemafios will play a big role in today's battle. The key to the Mariners' victory will be the ability of teammates to get the ball to the feet of the gritty Brazilian forward in time when he finds an opening and responds in time.
Despite a 1:3 home defeat against Niigata Swan in the league before the international break, Machida Zevia continues to sit atop the league table, ahead of the pack.
The biggest reason for Zevia's last loss was that the team started poorly and the defense wasn't awake enough. They played differently from the norm, unlike the Machida Zevia we know.
But at the offensive level, they still have a lot of good waves sitting around town in their lineup, with a good performance from forward Yo Hirakawa keeping the team trending strong. Today, he will be a threat from his sideline position, trying to press the Mariners' gatekeepers to stay in the back and take care of him.
Machida Zevia have conceded more goals in their recent matches. Yokohama Marinos will now focus on the league after their AFC Champions League loss. Moreover, their defense is not playing tightly, so I expect both sides to end up in a draw in this match.
