Cerezo Osaka tasted defeat for the first time this season on Sunday when they conceded a goal at the end of the period and ended up losing 1-2 to the Nagoya Whales.
The two goals in the loss were attributed to poor defensive and dead-ball play, and the team has not been able to deal well with opposing taller players lately when defending against free-throw attacks.
Cerezo Osaka have an excellent scorer in Rioschiala sitting in town. He has the ability to score from dangerous positions in front of the opposition. If he fights back in today's battle, the front ball will greatly energize his scoring spirit.
Yokohama Mariners were not scheduled for league play last weekend as they had to deal with a midweek AFC Champions League quarterfinal match against Ulsan HD. They also managed to reach the AFC Champions League final for the first time by winning with an exchange of twelve-yard shots.
It's natural for them to feel a little tired after the midweek Yokohama Mariners game, and it may be hard to bring them back from the joy of their historic achievement. However, I'm sure they are very happy at the same time. They have the opportunity to play so many high-intensity matches one after the other and continue to have the main goal of influencing the Japanese championship.
Elba's comeback from injury has had a positive impact on the creativity of the Yokohama Mariners. In addition, N'Souza is another Brazilian left and right attacking player who has the ability to create chances for his teammates, using twisting techniques and accurate transmissions, so they will pose a danger from the wing positions.
Even though the quality of both offenses is fairly close, I think Cerezo Osaka's defense is relatively stable and expect them to win this battle.
