National cups are something special for many teams and supporters. Today's match will decide whether it's Kashima Antlers or Avispa Fukuoka that keep their silverware dream alive.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
It's time to recharge all electronic entertainment devices for Avispa Fukuoka, who are travelling more than 1100 kilometers to play this game.
Kashima Antlers form and stats
Last season, Kashima's Ybc Levain Cup journey ended in the group stage.Kashima Antlers have collected 8 points from their J-League home games so far after 2-2-2. 3W-1D-0L is the hard facts regardless of venue in the Ybc Levain Cup for Kashima Antlers.
It's back home for Kashima, who return with a good feeling about themselves after beating Yokohama away with the result 3-0. Ryohei Shirasaki, Koki Machida and Shoma Doi found the net in that victory. Before that, Kashima Antlers played out a Ybc Levain Cup draw 2-2 when visiting Sagan Tosu.
Some members of the home team might already be thinking of their next match, the J-League game versus Tokyo in only four days. This game is also played here at Kashima Soccer Stadium.
Kashima Antlers are certainly not overdoing their scoring at home in league matches, having created 8 goals in 6 games. On the other hand, Kashima have conceded 8 goals.
Avispa Fukuoka form and stats
As the visiting team in J-League matches, Avispa Fukuoka have produced an overall stat of 2-4-1 so far. When we have look at the Ybc Levain Cup statistics, we find 1W-1D-2L. This is both home and away.
Avispa Fukuoka had fun at their own home (Kashima Soccer Stadium) last time out, beating Urawa Reds 2-0. John Mary and Bruno Mendes scored. Preceding that game, the 1-1 draw paying a visit to Consadole Sapporo.
The visitors are returning home after this fixture, hosting Kashiwa Reysol in just four days.
Avispa Fukuoka are scoring more than one goal per away game on average, having accumulated 9 away goals from 7 games (in the league). As opposed to that, Avispa Fukuoka have seen the ball go into their own net 9 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
This is not the first time this season these parties meet, as the history books show this recent fixture: Avispa Fukuoka - Kashima 1-5. Numbers for the last eight meetings between these two teams are: six wins for Kashima, zero draws and two wins for Avispa Fukuoka. Over 2,5 goals: six times; under 2,5 goals: two games.Top Goalscorers
  R. Araki 4 goals | K. Machida 3 goals |  A. Ueda 3 goals |
Kashima Antlers missing players
Avispa Fukuoka missing players
| Kashima Antlers | Avispa Fukuoka | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 15 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 13 | 7 | Won | W | 4 | 10 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Drew | D | 7 | 9 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Lost | L | 1 | 6 | ||
| 47 | 24 | Scored | S | 15 | 32 | ||
| 28 | 16 | Conceded | C | 12 | 30 | ||
| 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 83% | 92% | ||
| 84% | 87% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 75% | 72% | ||
| 60% | 47% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 42% | 44% | ||
| 40% | 27% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 25% | 28% | ||
| 12% | 7% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | ||
| 60% | 53% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 60% | ||
| 28% | 33% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 40% | ||
| 12% | 13% | Failed to Score | F T | 17% | 8% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.4 | 1.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 1.2 | ||
| 4 | 3 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 13 | 13.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 8.2 | 8.8 | ||
| 5.6 | 5.5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 3.2 | 3.2 | ||
| 34% | 29% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 39% | 40% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Kashima Antlers | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 2 | Consadole Sapporo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | Avispa Fukuoka | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 4 |
| 4 | Sagan Tosu | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -8 | 1 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Kawasaki Frontale | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 26 | 35 |
| 2 | Nagoya Grampus | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 29 |
| 3 | Sagan Tosu | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 26 |
| 4 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 24 |
| 5 | Vissel Kobe | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 23 |
| 6 | Cerezo Osaka | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 20 |
| 7 | Avispa Fukuoka | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 19 |
| 8 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| 9 | Urawa Reds | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 17 |
| 10 | Tokyo | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -4 | 15 |
| 11 | Tokushima Vortis | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 13 | -6 | 14 |
| 12 | Kashiwa Reysol | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | -2 | 13 |
| 13 | Kashima Antlers | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
| 14 | Consadole Sapporo | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 11 |
| 15 | Shonan Bellmare | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -2 | 11 |
| 16 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 6 | -4 | 11 |
| 17 | Gamba Osaka | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 6 |
| 18 | Vegalta Sendai | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 16 | -15 | 6 |
| 19 | Oita Trinita | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | -10 | 5 |
| 20 | Yokohama | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 20 | -26 | 2 |