Albirex Niigata vs Machida Zelvia Prediction and Betting Tips

Albirex Niigata host Machida Zelvia at the Denka Big Swan Stadium on Sunday in the J1 League.

Albirex failed to capitalise on their chances in their 3-1 away loss to Kawasaki Frontale during the week and are now three points deep in the drop zone after 21 games. Albi, who only narrowly avoided relegation last year, have only picked up four league wins all season.

Machida Zelvia have picked up consecutive 2-1 wins over Shonan Bellmare and more recently, Kashima Antlers to put them in ninth place, only five points behind the continental qualification spots.

Albirex Niigata vs Machida Zelvia Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

This weekend's fixture will mark the 18th meeting between these two sides. Albirex have won eight, while Machida have won five.
The sides are evenly matched in their five most recent meetings with each side winning two.
Albirex have scored an impressive eight goals across the last five editions of this fixture, conceding four.
Machida have scored 26 goals in the league, only three more than Albirex.
Albirex have the worst defensive record in the top flight this season, having conceded 33 goals in 21 games.

Albirex Niigata vs Machida Zelvia Prediction

The two sides are closely matched going into the weekend, but Albirex will need to put up a solid performance to get all three points.

Machida Z are the slight favourites when they take the trip to Niigata, as they have won their last three games and will hope their stronger defensive quality will be enough to get maximum points.

Prediction: Albirex 1-2 Machida

Albirex Niigata vs Machida Zelvia Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Result: Machida

Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals (Machida's' last five games have all produced more than 2.5 goals.)

Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes (Both teams have gotten on the scoresheet in five of Machida's last six games.)

About the author

Jedidiah is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda, who has been covering match previews for more than 3 years. Currently pursuing an engineering degree from the University of Ibadan, he conducts thorough research and ensures to be up-to-date with football news across the globe to create the most accurate previews.

A Manchester United fan, Jedidiah fell in love with football and the Red Devils since their UEFA Champions League triumph over Chelsea in 2008. He is a big fan of Robert Lewandowski and his historic performances from 2020, but feels that only Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are capable of replicating the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry. His all-time favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti due to the Italian's remarkable composure in difficult moments of a contest. Spain's 1-0 win over Netherlands in the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is etched in his memory forever.

A true student of the game, Jedidiah relishes identifying hidden gems from lower-tiered leagues such as the EFL Championship and the Eredivisie. When not creating previews, he likes playing football and reading books.

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