Hiroshima vs Nagoya: Will Hiroshima extend their unbeaten streak?
Hiroshima will host Nagoya on home turf in the 22nd round of the Japanese J-League on Saturday, June 28. The match kicks off at 12:00 Central European Time. Here’s my betting preview for this clash.
Hiroshima vs Nagoya: Match facts and head-to-head
- Hiroshima are unbeaten in four straight matches: three wins and a draw.
- Nagoya haven’t won in their last two games, but previously enjoyed a seven-match unbeaten run.
- Away from home, Nagoya have won just twice in their last ten outings.
- Hiroshima have claimed four wins and suffered just one defeat in their last five home games.
- Hiroshima boast the best defense in the J-League – only 15 goals conceded.
- Hiroshima have scored at least once in four consecutive matches, Nagoya in seven.
- In their last head-to-head, Nagoya beat Hiroshima 2-1.
Hiroshima vs Nagoya: Match preview
Hiroshima sit near the top of the J-League standings and are riding a four-game unbeaten streak. The team is battling for a top-three finish and still has a shot at the title. Hiroshima have 36 points from 20 rounds and, crucially, a game in hand. They trail the leaders by five points, so a win in their rescheduled match could close the gap significantly. This is a club that’s consistently been near the summit in recent years, though their last title came back in 2015. Once again, they’re serious contenders for gold—especially with their rock-solid defense: just 15 goals conceded in 20 matches, the best record in the league.
Nagoya are lower in the table but can put up a fight against any opponent. They currently sit 14th with 24 points, which is enough to keep them five clear of the relegation zone. But there’s no room for complacency—there are still plenty of matches left and every point counts. Nagoya haven’t won in their last two, but before that put together a seven-game unbeaten stretch. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 home draw against Shimizu.
Probable lineups
- Hiroshima: Osako; Sasaki, Araki; Nakano; Nakamura, Kawabe, Higashi, Arai; Kato, Germain; Kinoshita
- Nagoya: Pisano; Sato, Mikuni, Hara; Tokunoto, Shihashi, Inagaki, Izumi; Morishima, Mateus, Nagai
Prediction
Hiroshima are at home, where they’ve won four of their last five matches. Nagoya have looked shaky on the road and now face the league’s top defense. I don’t think the visitors will take any points here, so I’m backing a Hiroshima win at odds of 1.88.
