Its between two, unless the unthinkable happens for Kashima Antlers, as Yokohama F Marinos and Sanfrecce Hiroshima battle it out to be crowned J-League Champions for 2013. Four of the top five in the league meet each other in what will be a cracking Finale to this years Championship.
If it was just about experience Yokohama would win comfortably. With 40 year-old Brazilian Dutra, 35 year-old Yugi Nakazawa, 37 year-old Marquinhos and 35 year-old ex-Celtic player Shunsuke Nakakmura in the squad, they have bags of it. But, unfortunately for them it seems that those tired legs are beginning to take its toll. Having had the opportunity to wrap up the league they've lost two of their last three games to give Sanfrecce the chance to win back-to-back Titles this weekend. A draw may be sufficient to win the Title, it would seem like a fool's errand to play for one, especially with the pressure of the day. Relying heavily on both Marquinhos and Shunsuke Nakamura for goals, 26 between them, if Saturday's opponents Kawasaki Frontale can keep them quiet they will have to find goals from somewhere else. But where? Shingo Hyodo has seven goals from midfield while young Manabu Saito has 4 and unless they can stand up and be counted they could end up very disappointed come full-time. Frontale for their part have a lot to play for, with AFC Champions League spots up for grabs, and coming into this game on the back of a three game winning streak. With the top three guaranteed spots Kawasaki Frontale have it in their own hands to make one of those spots their own, and a win could do that. With a superb front two of Yoshito Okubo and Brazilian Renatinho, who have scored 37 goals between them, they also get plenty of goals from midfield from Kentaro Moriya and ex-Fulham and West Brom player Junichi Inamoto. I think with fatigue setting into Yokohama I would fully expect a Frontale victory in front of their own fans, and at least an opportunity for Champions League Football next season. For Yokohama it could be an ending to forget, just failing at the final hurdle.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima haven't been tearing up the J-League lately either, but with the experience of winning the League last year, and the momentum they will have after the midweek games when Yokohama slipped up, i would expect them to come out all guns blazing against Kashima Antlers. Boasting the leagues best defensive record, only conceding 29 goals in 33 games, which is a fantastic record. With Croatian Michael Mikic in midfield, flanked by Kohei Shimizu and Kazuyuki Morisaki, they have plenty of talent. If they can manage to thread the ball into strikers Hisato Sato and Naoki Ishihara on a regular basis over the ninety minutes, they know how to find the net. Kashima still have a mathematical chance to win the Title themselves. They need to win and overturn a 9 goal difference with Yokohama for that to happen, but in Football anything is possible. Of the three teams in with a shout of the Title, Kashima are the one with the most balance to their team. They get goals from all over the pitch.One of the highest scoring teams in the league, they have a young 23 year old striker up front in Yuya Osako
along with two Brazilians, Juninho and Davi. Osako, a Japanese International, has scored 19 goals this season and is in fantastic form. This game is very hard to call, its going to be nail-biting. Its going to come down to whoever wants it most on the day. If that's Sanfrecce, they will become Champions.
Published by @gersloveofsport December 6
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