In the league's final chapter two weeks ago, Nagoya Whale capped off their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Kashiwa Reysol with brilliant breakaways from Kenzo Nagai and Kawacho.
The secret of the victory, in my opinion, was nothing more than the tactical adjustment against Kenta Hasegawa - a change from the original 3-1-4-2 formation back to the familiar 3-2-4-1, a change that didn't seem to pose too many difficulties as the players quickly adapted to the change.
However, the key to this battle will be dealing with the high press of the Yokohama Mariners. Kenzo Nagai's speed will undoubtedly be the difference between victory and defeat.
Yokohama Mariners narrowly beat Kyoto Immortals 3-2 on the road in the last round, and their record now stands at two wins and one loss, but with goals conceded in every game, there seems to be a hidden problem in the back line.
That said, I think the Yokohama Mariners have had a solid start to the season, with both the offense and defense showing significant improvement over last season.
Yokohama Mariners' Andersen Rubis is undoubtedly the team's top threat, but apart from him, Nagoya Whale should also be wary of another "swamp red wife" whose excellent passing ability always creates scoring chances for her teammates.
Given the efficient offense and abundance of goals scored by the Yokohama Mariners' frontcourt players, I expect them to put on another show and triumph for the victory in this match.
