Vissel Kobe vs Kashiwa Reysol Prediction: The Defending Champions Can Make It Two Wins In A Row With Ease

Vissel Kobe will welcome Kashiwa Reysol to the Japan National Stadium in the second round of the J1 League. 

The defending champions, Vissel Kobe, enter this match hoping to secure their second consecutive win; however, they take on a side that they have failed to defeat in their last two matches (L1 D1), not to mention their solitary win in the last five matches (L3 D1). 

Let's have a look at the latest J1 League between Vissel Kobe vs. Kashiwa Reysol, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

After their 1-0 home defeat to Kawasaki Frontale in the Super Cup final, Vissel Kobe managed to bounce back with a convincing 2-0 away win over newly promoted Jubilo Iwata in the first round of the J1 League to kickstart their title defense on a positive note. 

The defending champions were in the ascendancy for large spells of the game, maintaining 51% of ball possession and registering 13 shots compared to their opponents 6. Koya Yuruki provided his side with a crucial lead within the first five minutes, which they managed to maintain until Daiju Sasaki sealed the deal with authority in the 49th minute by doubling the lead. It goes without saying that the 24-year-old made a strong first impression following an impressive performance in the previous season, where he bagged seven goals and two assists to his name in 33 matches played. 

With three points accumulated thus far, Vissel Kobe sits in third place in the J1 League standings, with first-placed Kashima Antlers separated by a slight goal differential. 

Formation: 4-1-2-3

D. Maekawa; R. Hatsuse, Thuler, T. Yamakawa, G. Sakai; T. Ogihara; Y. Ideguchi, H. Yamaguchi; K. Yuruki, Y. Osako, D. Sasaki

After a 2-1 defeat to JEF United in a friendly clash, Kashima Reysol were bound to enter their first competitive match of the season lacking in confidence. Despite being the better team in their match against Kyoto Sanga at home, Reysol were only able to salvage a point at home in a 1-1 draw.

Despite the attacking threats of their opponents in that match, Masami Ihara's team were the first ones to break the deadlock in the 77th minute through a thunderous Matheus Sávio strike. With an opportunity to double their lead eleven minutes later through an awarded penalty, a miss from Mao Hosoya instilled hope for their opponents to snatch a point in the dying embers of the game courtesy of youngster Yuto Anzai's strike.

With a point accumulated thus far, Kashiwa Reysol sit in tenth place in the J1 League standings and are two points behind first-placed Kashima Antlers. 

Formation: 4-4-2

K. Matsumoto; H. Sekine, T. Inukai, T. Koga, Diego; Y. Yamada, E. Shirai, T. Takamine, M. Savio; T. Koyamatsu, M. Hosoya

• Vissel Kobe has lost one of their last ten matches across all competitions.
• Kashiwa Reysol are winless in their last eight matches across all competitions.
• Vissel Kobe averages 1.4 goals per game when playing at home, and Kashiwa Reysol averages 1.3 goals per game when playing away.

In the last 40 meetings, Vissel Kobe has won 13 times, Kashiwa Reysol has won 21 times, and there have been 6 draws, with the goal difference being 64-45 in favor of Kashiwa Reysol.

Vissel Kobe comes into this clash brimming with confidence following their convincing win against Jubilo Iwata to kick-start their title defense on a positive note. With home advantage at their disposal, there's no doubt they'll fancy their chances of a second consecutive win. 

Kashiwa Reysol, on the other hand, may be lacking in confidence not only because of their missed opportunity against Kyoto Sanga to secure three points but also because of their poor away form that has seen them go winless in eight matches across all competitions, and anticipating them to pull off a surprise victory in this match might be wishful thinking.

Hence, we believe the defending champions are well-equipped to clinch their second consecutive league victory, leading us to back them up as the likely winners in the full-time market, especially considering their strong home performance.

• W1 for 1.75
• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 1.95
• Total - Over 2.5 for 1.96