Yokohama Marinos and Urawa Red Diamonds are the first to face each other in the first leg of the JLF Cup quarterfinals. The Mariners have had their ups and downs lately, with the most troubling aspect being the inconsistency of their defense, while the Red Diamonds are known for their sturdy defense, so it might be a good idea to look at the chances of a handicap win for the visitors. Meanwhile, Fukuoka Hornets are at home to Nagoya Whales, and the Hornets' home game will definitely give the team more confidence, so we might as well look for a win for the home team Hornets. (Wednesday 6pm kickoff)
Currently, Mariners are facing the challenges of three fronts: league, AFC Champions League and J-League Cup, and the intensive rhythm of the games makes their form seem to be fluctuating. In the past 8 matches, the Mariners only won 3 matches, and the biggest problem of this season is the lack of stability in the defense end, only two of the last 8 matches zero shutout opponents, so should not be too high expectations of them.
In contrast, the Red Diamonds, who are also playing on three fronts, have been more consistent. In the past 11 matches, Red Diamond has 7 wins and 4 draws. Scorer Bai Lai Ren Lianshen has contributed 4 goals in the past 5 matches, and even in the past 5 matches played on the road, they have 3 wins and 2 draws, which is a sign of their solid defense. Looking back at Red Diamond's last 4 JLF Cup matches, they have 3 wins and 1 draw, including a 4-0 win over Osaka Athletic in the last round of the competition, so their morale is high. Against the Mariners, Red Diamonds are favored to win the match, so consider backing the handicap of an away win.
Wasp Encore makes another run at the Whale
