There are only 2 relegation spots in this year's league, so with Machida with 51 points and Kofu with 42 points, both of whom have already been relegated early with only two rounds left in the league, there is no clear battle in the standings for this match.
The key message of this game is that the first JB team title since 2012 was won last weekend, and it was a 120-minute battle with a strong opponent that ended in a penalty shootout. Moreover, this is Machida's last home game, and Kofu's last home game of the season is in the next round. Therefore, the conventional thinking is that Kofu will surely celebrate the championship with their home fans in the next round, and this match will definitely be rotated after 3 days of winning the cup, and their fighting strength is doubtful, which will make Machida's win extremely hot.
In reality, however, Machida has gone eight games without a win, failing to score in five of those matches, and after losing the momentum of the game, the team's aging offensive line duo of Hasegawa + Dudu, as well as 38-year-old Jung Dae-Seok on the bench, are not in convincing form. There is not much difference between the substitutes and the starters of JB teams, Kofu Furin rotated after winning the championship, instead the substitutes' sense of honor will make them deal with the game seriously. Therefore, with Machida's offensive performance, it will still be difficult to beat Kofu in this match.
