The Kashima Antlers & Sanfrecce Hiroshima bosses Weiler and Skibbe are both fearful of and eagerly anticipating this vital game in the upper regions of the J-League table.
- Kashima Antlers have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
It's quite the trip for Sanfrecce Hiroshima when visiting Kashima Antlers as the cities are 900 kilometers apart.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima could be less fresh than the hosts in this fixture, as they played a Nabisco Cup game only three sleeps ago.
Kashima Antlers form and stats
Kashima Antlers have played 12 J-League games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 6-4-2 (wins-draws-losses).
In their previous game, the manager Weiler led his Kashima Antlers to a defeat away at Yokohama F. Marinos. The manager is hoping to put things right immediately here at Kashima Soccer Stadium. Before that loss this club had gone six consecutive league games without losing. Midfield player Higuchi got a match rating of 7.11 in that game, the max score being 10. Higuchi hit one key pass and dribled past the opponent 1 of 1 times.
In the match before that, Kashima hosted Vissel Kobe and drew the game 1-1.This is expected to be a close game, with Kashima Antlers perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Kashima Antlers as a small favourite), we find 5 games. Kashima Antlers has won 1 of these, drawn 1 and lost 3.
The Kashima Antlers fans have had their share of opportunities to cheer home goals this season, having seen 21 goals in 12 league matches. On the other hand, Kashima have conceded 17 goals.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima form and stats
Playing away, Sanfrecce Hiroshima have won 2 games, drawn 5 and suffered 3 defeats in the J-League this season.
The fans enjoyed Sanfrecce Hiroshima's previous match versus Yokohama F. Marinos, a Nabisco Cup win (3-1) played at home.
A loss against Tokyo was the result prior to that, in a J-League home game.So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Sanfrecce Hiroshima playing away and similar expectations, we found 11 relevant matches. Results were 3 Sanfrecce wins, 3 draws and 5 defeats.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima have another game away in just four sleeps, a Nabisco Cup game vs Yokohama F. Marinos. A hard calendar for the guests!
Scoring goals is the main ingredient in creating success in football, and not only at home. So far Sanfrecce Hiroshima have scored 11 goals in 10 league games 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. Sanfrecce have conceded 14 goals in these away matches.
Head 2 Head
Sanfrecce Hiroshima - Kashima Antlers 3-0 was the product when these two teams last played each other, also in this season. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: four - three - three (Kashima Antlers wins - draws - Sanfrecce Hiroshima wins). As for goals, five matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), five had two or less.
Top Goalscorers
  Y. Suzuki 7 goals |  T. Morishima 7 goals |
Kashima Antlers missing players
Sanfrecce Hiroshima missing players
| Kashima Antlers | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 23 | 12 | 4 | Played | P | 1 | 10 | 23 |
| 11 | 6 | 1 | Won | W | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| 7 | 4 | 1 | Drew | D | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 35 | 21 | 4 | Scored | S | 0 | 11 | 30 |
| 29 | 17 | 8 | Conceded | C | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| 91% | 92% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 90% | 91% |
| 78% | 75% | 75% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 80% | 78% |
| 52% | 58% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 100% | 50% | 48% |
| 26% | 33% | 25% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 30% | 17% |
| 13% | 25% | 25% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 52% | 58% | 25% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 60% | 52% |
| 30% | 25% | 25% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 20% | 35% |
| 26% | 25% | 50% | Failed to Score | F T | 100% | 30% | 22% |
| 4.7 | 5.2 | 4.8 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 9 | 4.9 | 5.1 |
| 5 | 4.7 | 3.8 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 3 | 3.1 | 3.9 |
| 1.3 | 1 | 0.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11.7 | 12.3 | 9.5 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 24 | 16.2 | 14.7 |
| 4.7 | 5.2 | 3.5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 5 | 5.5 | 5 |
| 32% | 34% | 29% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 20% | 26% |
| 10.2 | 8.7 | 12.2 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 12 | 10.9 | 9.1 |
| 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.8 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 5 | 4.4 | 3.7 |
- Kashima Antlers have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 50 | 25 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 48 |
| 2 | Kashima Antlers | 23 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 35 | 29 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 40 |
| 3 | Kashiwa Reysol | 23 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 29 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 39 |
| 4 | Cerezo Osaka | 23 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 26 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 38 |
| 5 | Kawasaki Frontale | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 37 |
| 6 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 30 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 35 |
| 7 | Tokyo | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 27 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 35 |
| 8 | Urawa Reds | 23 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 30 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 32 |
| 9 | Sagan Tosu | 22 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 32 | 27 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 29 |
| 10 | Avispa Fukuoka | 23 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 14 | -3 | 27 |
| 11 | Kyoto Sanga | 23 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 26 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 15 | -4 | 26 |
| 12 | Nagoya Grampus | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -6 | 26 |
| 13 | Shonan Bellmare | 23 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 25 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 | -7 | 25 |
| 14 | Consadole Sapporo | 23 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 39 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 28 | -18 | 25 |
| 15 | Gamba Osaka | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 16 | -9 | 22 |
| 16 | Jubilo Iwata | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 19 | -11 | 22 |
| 17 | Vissel Kobe | 23 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 29 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 21 |
| 18 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 23 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 29 | 38 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 25 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 13 | -9 | 21 |
