In last week's match, Shuko Mito battled with promotion rivals Iwaki FC, and despite taking the lead twice, they ended up shaking hands with a 2-2 scoreline, and both of their league matches in the new season ended in draws.
In this matchup, Shuko Mito had the better of the possession, but missed a lot of good opportunities due to many unnecessary mistakes. However, substitute Hoshifumi Teranuma stepped up to the plate and scored a goal to turn the tide of the match, a remarkable and inspiring performance.
The key to winning this battle for Shuko Mito will be whether the two strikers can protect the ball effectively up front. I'm curious to see if they'll start Rui Ji Ando and Kaito Umeda, or if they'll put Shoji Kariyama and Hoshifumi Teranuma together as a forward pairing.
After defeating Iwata Yamaha in their opener, Okayama Green Pheasants drew 0-0 with Shimizu S Pulse, another relegated Japanese team, last week. Despite losing in the promotion playoffs at the end of last year's season, Okayama Green Pheasants have not been affected by the defeat, and have continued their strong performance from last season. They are solid in defense, often launching direct attacks at the back of the field, and are also very good at seizing chances in front of the goal, which makes them very threatening.
