Kawasaki Frontale will play host to Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on Sunday, May 16 at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium. The hosts will be highly motivated to win and bounce back after a humiliating 2-2 draw against Vegalta Sendai, but should keep in mind that Consadole won this bout 2-0 last time out.
Kawasaki Frontale vs Consadole Sapporo
When: Sunday, May 16 – 15:00 JST
Where: Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan
Weather: Cloudy, 23°C
Kawasaki Frontale slipped a bit against Vegalta Sendai last time out. On the bright side, they’re still the only unbeaten team in the league.
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo travel to Kawasaki looking to achieve the impossible – become the first team to beat Frontale in 2021. If they achieve that, they would also become the first team to do so at the Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium since… themselves in November 2020.
Kawasaki Frontale Still the Best in The League
Kawasaki Frontale enter tonight’s match off a shock 2-2 draw against the struggling Vegalta Sendai. It was a result no one expected to see – particularly Toru Oniki’s men. Despite that little slip-up, Frontale are still by far the best team in the league.
Frontale are the only unbeaten team in the J1 League and 10 points clear of Nagoya Grampus in second. If they can keep their wheels spinning, Frontale should be winning their fourth title league in five years without any big issues – even if they occasionally slip as they did on Wednesday.
Kawasaki Frontale are 8-2-0 at home this season, with a 20-8 goal difference. Across their last five, they have beaten Sagan Tosu (1-0), Avispa Fukuoka (1-3), and Nagoya Grampus (3-2), but managed only draws with Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1-1) and Vegalta (2-2).
While Frontale have been very effective in collecting wins and scoring goals, they have also conceded a few too many. In their last four home games, Frontale scored nine but also conceded six – half of what they conceded in 2021.
Consadole Sapporo Aiming at an Upset
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo are 11th in the league with a 4-3-5 record and 15 points. They have played only 12 games thus far, so their current placement might seem a bit misleading.
The visitors enter this match without a loss in their last five outings across all competitions and a 2-2-1 record in J1 League. That run includes two wins against Vegalta Sendai (2-1) and Tokushima (2-1), and two draws against Kashima Antlers (2-2) and Shonan Bellmare (0-0).
Their only loss in that stretch came against Yokohama F. Marinos, who beat them 3-1 at Sapporo Dome.
The main thing holding Mihailo Petrović’s side back this season has been their tendency to concede (a few too many) goals. They have conceded 18 in 12 games, which is obviously not ideal.
On a more positive note, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo are very efficient in scoring goals. They have managed 19, and seven in their last five outings.
And when we say “they”, we are mostly referring to Consadole’s striker Anderson Lopes, who has managed 11 goals in 12 league starts and 14 across all competitions.
Kawasaki Frontale vs Consadole Sapporo Betting Picks
Kawasaki Frontale are clearly the better team here. That said, their recent performances lead us to believe that the offensive-minded Consadole will find a way to cause some damage.
Even though there is a chance Consadole score a goal here – as they did in all of their last five trips to Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium – we have to remind ourselves who they’re facing.
Frontale are a class above all other teams in J League and one 2-2 draw doesn’t convince us they’re anything less than clear favorites to win the league. What’s more, we could argue that the home side should be motivated to prove what they’re capable of after their humiliating draw last time out.
This should end in a comfortable win for the hosts.
Prediction: Kawasaki Frontale -1.50 Asian Handicap
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