🏏 Sun, 17 May 2026 19:00 JST
Kawasaki Frontale
vs
Machida Zelvia
4-2-3-1 vs 3-4-2-1
Substitutes
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Match Preview
- This meeting between 14th-placed Kawasaki Frontale (18 points from 13 games) and 9th-placed FC Machida Zelvia (23 points from 13 games) is an important mid-season fixture for both. Kawasaki have struggled with two wins and three losses in their last five, while Machida have stayed in form with three wins and two draws, including a two-game winning run. The season's first meeting on 7 May in Matchday 5 ended 1-1 at Machida's home, so Kawasaki will seek revenge at Todoroki.
- The clash of Kawasaki's 4-2-3-1 against Machida's 3-4-2-1 hinges on the battle for midfield control. Kawasaki's double pivot of Kento Tachibanada (28) and Yuki Yamamoto (28) is the hub of their play, while Machida's midfield is dominated by the veteran pairing of former Kawasaki man Hokuto Shimoda (34) and Hiroyuki Mae (30). Shimoda in particular faces a former club where he won titles, and he leads the side with his left-footed distribution and selfless defending.
- Kawasaki goalkeeper Rui Yamaguchi (27, 186cm) also faces his former club, Machida. Having joined Kawasaki via Machida Zelvia, Mito Hollyhock and FC Lorient, Yamaguchi boasts sharp reflexes and a long throw of remarkable distance. A multilingual player with Japanese-French roots who speaks four languages, he serves as a bridge to Kawasaki's foreign players.
- Up front for Machida, the 197cm big striker Tete Yengi (23) is a threat in the air. The towering Australian forward, who helped Scotland's Livingston earn promotion, will be a tough opponent for Kawasaki's CB pairing of Yuichi Maruyama (36, 177cm) and Akira Sasaki (26, 180cm). How Machida exploit the aerial mismatch will be one to watch.
- In Kawasaki's attack, Tatsuya Ito (28) looks to create on the left wing. A Japan international attacker who built a long career in Germany's Bundesliga and recorded 13 goals with a Best XI selection in J1 in 2025, his one-on-one duel with Machida's right-sider Hotaka Nakamura (28) will be a battleground on the flank.
- In the hole for Machida is Na Sang-ho (29), who won MVP and the Golden Boot in K League 2. A left winger who took gold at the 2018 Asian Games and has 30 caps for South Korea, his weapon is cutting inside onto his right foot to shoot. Already acclimatised to the J.League from his FC Tokyo days, he is a player Kawasaki's defence must watch.