The Kobe Victory ship was only able to equalize 2-2 with a late goal by Yamaguchi Hotaru on Saturday to draw with FC Tokyo, and has only won 1 of its last 5 league matches, so its form is mediocre.
Injuries to players have definitely affected Victory Boat's recent performances, especially on their defensive strength, and they have been making more and more mistakes in their own backcourt.
One of the injured players is Mizuki Saito, his performance in the midfield is very crucial for the team this year. Since he will be out for a long time due to injury, I expect the experienced Yamaguchi will play an important role in the offense and defense.
Kyoto Immortals beat Fukuoka Hornets 2-0 on Saturday, recording two consecutive wins in the league. With midfielder Kohei Takeda back from injury, he tends to be in favorable positions when the ball is in his team's hands, and I expect him to be ready to counter the pressure from Katsushika this time around.
Defensively, Shogo Asada will have a key role to play in watching over Victory ship star striker Isao Osako, who has scored in his last three league matches and is in great form.
