Taking a gander at the match up line-up, we have the Kashima Antlers facing off with their counterparts from Hokkaido, the Consadole Sapporo. In this royal rumble, my strongly held faith based on a combination of the players' prowess, team records, and last but not least past confrontations between the two teams has led me to a firm prognosis.
But first, let's discuss some specifics, shall we?
Between the posts, the Antlers have Tomoki Hayakawa with his quite solid 6.95 rating, 13 successful saves under his belt, while the Sapporo's keeper, Takanori Sugeno boasts a 7.08 rating with 19 saves. A nip and tuck situation for the goalie folks, no real advantage there.
Over to the players on the pitch now. Time to explore the best of both sides. Sapporo's shining stars include the likes of Supachok Sarachart and Tomoki Kondo, quite the formidable foes with their high ratings and impressive pass accuracies. Kondo even managed to pop up with a goal here and there. Not one to be left in the shadows, Kashima's side boasts adept players such as Yuma Suzuki (let's not forget those 2 goals he's netted) and Shintaro Nago, both presenting worthy adversaries to Sapporo's best.
History also has its say in the matter. Certainly, the Antlers have been having a picnic with Sapporo in the last couple of meetups, scoring more goals than a math whiz could count. Ok, it's been 10 goals to none if you need the actual data.
Add to that the current regular season records. Sapporo has seen better days, sitting at a dismal 2-5-14. Meanwhile, the Antlers have a decent record with 11 wins, just 5 losses, and a handful of draws to balance the scale.
If we take a peek at the recent results for both teams, Sapporo's been slipping more than a clumsy ice-skater with a tally of losses, while the Antlers have been a bit shaky but still showing some resistance.
Remember that old saying, "Bet with your head, not your heart?" It seems only prudent to say:
Albert’s Prediction: Kashima Antlers by 2