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FC Tokyo will entertain league leaders Kashima Antlers at the Ajinomoto Stadium in J1 League action on Sunday.
The capital club have shaken off a run of three back-to-back defeats in the league and are now undefeated in their last two fixtures. They returned to winning ways with an impressive 3-0 win over Shimizu S-Pulse last time around.
The Kashima Antlers are at the top of the standings but only on goal difference. Second-placed Kawasaki Frontale also have 30 points, while third-placed Yokohama F. Marinos are not far behind with 28 points in the league.
They have played back-to-back draws in their last two games, with their previous outing against Sagan Tosu ending in a highly entertaining 4-4 draw, with three goals coming in second-half injury time.
FC Tokyo vs Kashima Antlers Head-to-Head
This will be the 55th meeting across all competitions between the two central Japanese rivals since 1994. The Antlers have been the better side in this fixture, having 29 wins to their name. The hosts have been able to record 14 wins against their eastern rivals but are winless since 2019. The remaining 11 games have ended in draws.
They last met at Sunday's venue in league action last season in October. The game ended in a 2-1 win for the visiting side.
FC Tokyo form guide (all competitions): W-D-D-L-L
Kashima Antlers form guide (all competitions): D-D-W-W-L
FC Tokyo vs Kashima Antlers Team News
FC Tokyo
Akihiro Hayashi is a long-term absentee with an ACL rupture, while Henrique Trevisan is also set to miss the game with a muscle injury. Leandro has played just five times this season and his involvement in the game remains doubtful.
Injured: Akihiro Hayashi, Henrique Trevisan
Doubtful: Leandro
Suspended: None
Kashima Antlers
Everaldo and Ryotaro Araki are the two reported absentees for the league leaders ahead of the game.
Injured: Everaldo, Ryotaro Araki.
Doubtful: Leandro
Suspended: None
FC Tokyo vs Kashima Antlers Predicted XIs
FC Tokyo (4-3-3): Jakub Slowik (GK); Ryoya Ogowa, Masato Morishige, Yasuki Kimoto, Yuto Nagatomo; Takoya Aoki, Kuryu Matsuki, Shuto Abe; Adailton, Kensuke Nagai, Diego Oliveira
Kashima Antlers (4-4-2): Sun-Tae Kwon (GK); Kento Misao, Ikuma Sekigawa, Keigo Tsunemoto, Koki Anzai; Shunta Araki, Ryuji Izumi, Yuta Higuchi, Alano Juan; Yuma Suzuki, Ayase Ueda
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FC Tokyo vs Kashima Antlers Prediction
The Kashima Antlers have scored 15 goals in their last six league outings, so the odds of them finding the back of the net in this game look good. Tokyo have the joint second-best attacking record in the league and have kept a clean sheet in their last three games across all competitions.
The game should make for an interesting watch and we are backing Kashima to eke out a narrow win here.
Prediction: FC Tokyo 1-2 Kashima Antlers
