Jubilo Iwatavs.Tokyo Verdy

The hosts, meanwhile, will be determined to collect maximum points after failing to win any of their last three matches.

Match preview

After winning promotion in 2023, Jubilo Iwata's main target for the current season will be to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.

At the halfway point of the season, Jubilo are sitting in 16th place and five points above the bottom three after winning five, drawing five and losing nine of their 19 league games.

Akinobu Yokouchi will be disappointed with the fact that his side have won just one of their previous nine top-flight matches, with that sole victory taking place against Shonan Bellmare last month.

In their three league games since that win, Jubilo Iwata have lost 2-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima and drawn 1-1 against FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka.

Although they have found wins hard to come by, Wednesday's hosts may fancy their chances of taking at least a point after avoiding defeat in four of their last five home matches in the J1 League.

Like their hosts, Tokyo Verdy also won promotion last season after coming through the playoffs to return to the top flight for the first time since 2008.

Tokyo Verdy will be pleased with their work this season, having picked up 27 points from 19 matches to establish a 12-point gap to the relegation zone.

Verdy have won three of their previous four league matches, including a narrow 1-0 win in Saturday's home clash with Nagoya Grampus, which came courtesy of Hijiri Onaga's 52nd-minute effort.

That result extended their unbeaten home run to nine league matches since losing to Yokohama F. Marinos on the opening day of the season.

Hiroshi Jofuku's side will now travel to the Yamaha Stadium, where they will have the chance to complete a league double after recording a 3-2 win in May's reverse fixture.

Jubilo Iwata J1 League form:

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D

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Jubilo Iwata form (all competitions):

Tokyo Verdy J1 League form:

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W

Tokyo Verdy form (all competitions):

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W

Team News

Jubilo defender Riku Morioka could be considered for a starting spot after featuring as a half-time substitute at the weekend.

Ryo Germain, who recently returned from injury, will offer one of Jubilo's main attacking threats, having scored 11 goals in 14 appearances this season.

The 29-year-old is likely to operate in the forward line alongside Brazilian forward Matheus Peixoto, who has scored five goals in 19 league matches following his arrival from Metalist Kharkiv in January.

Meanwhile, midfielder Tomoya Miki is set to return to the Tokyo Verdy side after sitting out Saturday's win due to suspension.

Following a strong defensive display at the weekend, Jofuku could decide to stick with the back three of Kazuya Miyahara, Noaki Hayashi and Hiroto Taniguchi.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Yudai Kumura is likely to be given the responsibility of leading the line after scoring nine goals in 18 appearances this season.

Jubilo Iwata possible starting lineup:

Kawashima; Uemura, Suzuki, Graca; Matsubara; Gomes, Uehara; Matsumoto, Yamada, Hirakawa; Germain

Tokyo Verdy possible starting lineup:

Vidotto; Miyahara, Hayashi, Taniguchi; Onaga, Miki, Saito, Matsuhashi; Yamami, Someno; Kimura

We say: Jubilo Iwata 1-1 Tokyo Verdy

Tokyo Verdy will be full of confidence after winning three of their previous four league games, but we think that they will have to settle for a draw when they face a Jubilo Iwata side that has lost just one of their last four top-flight home matches.

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