Sanfrecce Hiroshima are flying at 2nd, while Shimizu S-Pulse are lagging 16 points behind in the league table. Can they crop the gap?
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have the most points from losing position (14) in J-League
Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Shimizu S-Pulse should both be in good shape for this meeting, as there's been enough days for both of them to train and rest since their last matches.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima form and stats
Sanfrecce Hiroshima have played 14 J-League games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 8-3-3 (wins-draws-losses).
It's back home for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who return with a good feeling about themselves after beating Cerezo Osaka away with the result 3-0. Chajima, Sotiriou and Matsumoto found the net in that victory. Matsumoto has scored in three games in a row. Impressive! The goalie Osako was named most valuable player of the team in that game, scoring 8.04 out of ten. Osako topped it up with a clean sheet.
Before that game, the 5-2 home victory against Gamba Osaka.Sanfrecce are traveling soon after this match as the Emperor Cup match at Cerezo Osaka awaits in four days.
The Sanfrecce Hiroshima fans have had their share of opportunities to cheer home goals this season, having seen 24 goals in 14 league matches. From these home matches, Sanfrecce Hiroshima have conceded only 12 goals.
Shimizu S-Pulse form and stats
5 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses. That’s the product of Shimizu S-Pulse playing as the away team in the J-League this season. Shimizu have won three away matches in a row now and will not be intimidated by being the visitors in this fixture.
The supporters enjoyed Shimizu S-Pulse's previous fixture versus Kyoto Sanga (placed 14th), a 1-0 win played at home. Gonda (goalkeeper) was the best performer with a rating of 8.03. Gonda topped it up with a clean sheet.
A 1-1 draw was the result before that, hosting Kashiwa Reysol.Shimizu S-Pulse have a decent goal production going in their away games, although not fantastic. In 13 league away games 17 goals have been scored.
Head 2 Head
Shimizu S-Pulse have not lost in the last 4 matches (3-1-0) facing Sanfrecce.Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Shimizu S-Pulse have faced off before this season: Shimizu S-Pulse - Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-2.
Top Goalscorers
  T. Santos Santana 10 goals |   T. Morishima 7 goals | M. Mitsuta 6 goals |
Sanfrecce Hiroshima missing players
Shimizu S-Pulse missing players
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Shimizu S-Pulse | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 27 | 14 | 4 | Played | P | 4 | 13 | 27 |
| 13 | 8 | 2 | Won | W | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| 8 | 3 | 1 | Drew | D | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| 6 | 3 | 1 | Lost | L | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 43 | 24 | 3 | Scored | S | 3 | 17 | 35 |
| 28 | 12 | 2 | Conceded | C | 8 | 13 | 39 |
| 93% | 93% | 75% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 85% | 89% |
| 81% | 79% | 25% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 85% | 85% |
| 52% | 50% | 25% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 38% | 48% |
| 22% | 14% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 25% | 15% | 26% |
| 7% | 7% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | 11% |
| 52% | 50% | 25% | BTTS | BTTS | 75% | 54% | 63% |
| 37% | 43% | 75% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 38% | 26% |
| 19% | 14% | 25% | Failed to Score | F T | 25% | 23% | 22% |
| 5.1 | 5.2 | 4.8 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 7.5 | 5.2 | 5.5 |
| 1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14.7 | 14.4 | 12.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 6.2 | 10.1 | 10.7 |
| 5 | 5.1 | 3.8 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.2 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| 32% | 34% | 20% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 33% | 32% | 31% |
| 9.4 | 8 | 7.5 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 17.2 | 13.7 | 13.1 |
| 3.8 | 3.4 | 2.2 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 8.5 | 5.5 | 5.3 |
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have the most points from losing position (14) in J-League
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have the most scored goals in the second half (32) 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 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 24 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 51 | 27 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 21 | 24 | 48 |
| 2 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 27 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 47 |
| 3 | Kawasaki Frontale | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 40 | 28 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 46 |
| 4 | Kashima Antlers | 27 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 39 | 34 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 5 | 44 |
| 5 | Kashiwa Reysol | 27 | 13 | 4 | 10 | 37 | 33 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 43 |
| 6 | Cerezo Osaka | 25 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 39 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 41 |
| 7 | Tokyo | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 33 | 32 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 24 | 1 | 38 |
| 8 | Sagan Tosu | 26 | 8 | 13 | 5 | 37 | 29 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 8 | 37 |
| 9 | Urawa Reds | 25 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 36 | 24 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 35 |
| 10 | Nagoya Grampus | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 26 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -4 | 33 |
| 11 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 27 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 35 | 39 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 13 | -4 | 31 |
| 12 | Avispa Fukuoka | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 28 |
| 13 | Consadole Sapporo | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 44 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 29 | -17 | 28 |
| 14 | Kyoto Sanga | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 16 | -6 | 26 |
| 15 | Shonan Bellmare | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 | -11 | 26 |
| 16 | Gamba Osaka | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 27 | 39 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 21 | -12 | 25 |
| 17 | Vissel Kobe | 25 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 32 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 24 |
| 18 | Júbilo Iwata | 26 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 23 | 43 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 21 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 22 | -20 | 22 |
