It's time for Avispa Fukuoka - Albirex Niigata! Despite a mixed bag of results so far, this fixture could be immense!
- Avispa Fukuoka is in the best form (5-0-1) in J-League
- Albirex Niigata have the most conceded goals in the first half (20) in J-League
Everyone involved with the away team has to get their travel gear ready for this match as there's a whopping 1100 kilometers to cover before arriving at the match.
This looks to be an engaging fixture with lots of spark and energy as both squads are well renewed since they last saw competitive action. Let's start!
Avispa Fukuoka form and stats
Avispa Fukuoka have played 12 J-League games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 7-2-3 (wins-draws-losses). The team is able to perform also as the away side, as they are nurturing a very healthy winning streak of five straight victories regardless of arena.
The Avispa Fukuoka goalkeeper Masaaki Murakami is looking to record 90 more "clean sheet" minutes as his team have now played 329 minutes without conceding a goal in the J-League.
A nice win for Avispa Fukuoka last time playing, versus Yokohama. That was also a home game and the match ended 2-0 with Sato (2) scoring for the victors. Sato (midfield) was the top team player in that game with a rating of 8.01/10. Sato scored two goals and dribled past the opponent 1 of 2 times.
In the preceding match a 1-0 victory visiting Sagan Tosu.This is expected to be a close game, with Avispa Fukuoka perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Avispa Fukuoka as a small favourite), we find 11 games. Fukuoka has won 6 of these, drawn 2 and lost 3.
Avispa Fukuoka are certainly not overdoing their scoring at home in league matches, having created 14 goals in 12 games.
Albirex Niigata form and stats
The hunting on away grounds haven’t been very fruitful for Albirex Niigata so far with only 10 points returning home. The records show 2-4-5 (win-draw-lose).
Albirex Niigata played 2-2 against Shonan Bellmare in their previous match. Albirex's last match (vs Shonan Bellmare) ended in drama as all points looked lost at the score 0-2. They did not give up, fought back and in the end a courageous finish rescued a draw after 90 minutes thanks to a 90th minute equalizer by Takagi. Bringing on Takagi was absolutely vital to the comeback against Shonan Bellmare as the player changed the game with two goals and ensuring the draw 2-2. Midfield player Takagi was the top player of the team with a match rating of 9.0/10. Takagi scored two goals, dribled past the opponent 1 of 1 times and had 18 successful passes (of 22 total).
A 0-1 defeat away at Nagoya Grampus before that.As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found 7 similar matches played by Albirex Niigata in our archives, and the results are: 0 wins for Albirex Niigata, 4 draws and 3 defeats.
The attacking power of Albirex Niigata when travelling is not overwhelming with 9 goals scored from 11 league matches away. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 1 of these goals has been scored in their last three away matches. Albirex have conceded 13 goals in these away matches. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only 1 of these goals has been conceded in their last three away matches.
Head 2 Head
The duelists have battled before this season: Albirex Niigata - Avispa Fukuoka 3-2. Head to head totals (for the preceeding ten meetings): Avispa Fukuoka won six games, zero matches ended in a draw and Albirex Niigata managed four wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: six / four.
Top Goalscorers
  Y. Yamagishi 7 goals | L. Araújo de Almeida 4 goals |   S. Ota 4 goals |
Avispa Fukuoka missing players
Albirex Niigata missing players
| Avispa Fukuoka | Albirex Niigata | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 23 | 12 | 5 | Played | P | 3 | 11 | 23 |
| 10 | 7 | 5 | Won | W | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 8 | 3 | 0 | Lost | L | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 24 | 14 | 9 | Scored | S | 3 | 9 | 24 |
| 26 | 12 | 3 | Conceded | C | 5 | 13 | 32 |
| 87% | 83% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 82% | 87% |
| 61% | 67% | 80% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 55% | 65% |
| 48% | 58% | 60% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 67% | 45% | 52% |
| 17% | 8% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 18% | 35% |
| 4% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 4% |
| 48% | 50% | 60% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 45% | 52% |
| 39% | 42% | 40% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 27% | 26% |
| 26% | 25% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 45% | 35% |
| 3.5 | 4 | 2.6 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4 | 4 | 4.8 |
| 5 | 4.8 | 6.4 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 6 | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 10.9 | 13.2 | 10 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 13 | 10.5 | 13 |
| 3.2 | 4.1 | 4 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.6 |
| 33% | 29% | 45% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 23% | 24% | 23% |
| 10.5 | 8.8 | 10.2 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 14.7 | 11.5 | 11.6 |
| 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 5.7 | 4.5 | 4 |
- Albirex Niigata have the most conceded goals in the first half (20) in J-League
- Avispa Fukuoka have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Avispa Fukuoka is in the best form (5-0-1) in J-League
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Vissel Kobe | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 43 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 24 | 47 |
| 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 46 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 15 | 21 | 47 |
| 3 | Nagoya Grampus | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 31 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 42 |
| 4 | Urawa Reds | 22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 38 |
| 5 | Kashima Antlers | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 36 |
| 6 | Cerezo Osaka | 23 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 31 | 25 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 36 |
| 7 | Avispa Fukuoka | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | -2 | 35 |
| 8 | Kawasaki Frontale | 23 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 30 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 2 | 32 |
| 9 | Tokyo | 23 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 31 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 18 | -2 | 32 |
| 10 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 31 |
| 11 | Sagan Tosu | 23 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 30 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 30 |
| 12 | Gamba Osaka | 23 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 32 | 40 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 27 | -8 | 29 |
| 13 | Consadole Sapporo | 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 42 | 44 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 20 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 24 | -2 | 28 |
| 14 | Albirex Niigata | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 32 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 13 | -8 | 25 |
| 15 | Kyoto Sanga | 23 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 24 | 34 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 18 | -10 | 23 |
| 16 | Kashiwa Reysol | 23 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 34 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 15 | -14 | 18 |
| 17 | Yokohama | 23 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 | -26 | 18 |
| 18 | Shonan Bellmare | 23 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 29 | 46 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 23 | -17 | 17 |
