Kashima Antlers vs Urawa Red Diamonds Prediction: Expecting To See Both Sides Get On The Scoreboard

Kashima Antlers will welcome Urawa Red Diamonds to the Kashima Stadium in the 31st round of the J1 League.

Urawa Red Diamonds have had some difficulties when playing against Kashima Antlers, going winless in eight consecutive matches, with their last win being a 1-0 triumph back in 2016. Will the Reds be able to stop the rot with a win, or will they record another unfavorable outcome that'll see their winless run away from home extended to nine matches?

Let's have a look at the latest J1 League between Kashima Antlers vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Kashima Antlers

Form: LDLWD

Kashima Antlers' recent match against Vissel Kobe didn't go as expected as they suffered a convincing 3-1 defeat away from home, and complaints were at a minimum given they were up against a formidable side looking to solidify their position atop the standings.

The Antlers last tasted victory on September 16th with a 1-0 home win against Cerezo Osaka, and their recent defeat against Vissel Kobe has only meant that they have failed to win any of their last three matches, recording two losses and a draw.

Home form has not been cause for concern given they were on a nine-match unbeaten run before a 2-1 loss against Yokohama F. Marinos. With seven wins in ten matches, there's no doubt that they'll likely pose a serious threat in this one.

With 47 points collected from 30 matches so far, Kashima Antlers sit sixth in the J1 League standings, six points behind their opponents in this impending clash.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

T. Hayakawa; K. Anzai, I. Sekigawa, N. Ueda, R. Hirose; D. Pituca, K. Sano; T. Fujii, R. Araki, Y. Higuchi; Y. Suzuki

Urawa Red Diamonds

Form: WDWDD

Having recorded a 6-0 win over Hanoi at home on the second match day of the AFC Champions League group stage campaign, the Urawa Red Diamonds were brought back down to earth with a 2-0 defeat against the Pohang Steelers, putting an end to an eleven-match unbeaten run where eight wins and three draws were recorded—a run that stretches to last season.

In the league, they continued their fine form with a 2-0 win against Kashiwa Reysol at home, courtesy of second-half goals from Yoshio Koizumi and Takuya Ogiwara.

With this win, Urawa Reds have maintained a seven-match unbeaten run, recording four wins and three draws, a significant turn-around in form after being on a three-match winless run with two losses against Cerezo Osaka and Sanfrecce Hiroshima and a goalless draw against Yokohama F. Marinos.

With 53 points collected from 30 matches played so far, the Urawa Red Diamonds sit third in the J1 League standings, three points ahead of fourth-placed Nagoya Grampus and four points behind second-placed Yokohama F. Marinos.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

S. Nishikawa; T. Ogiwara, T. Iwanami, M. Høibråten, A. Ohata; A. Ito, K. Shibato; T. Takahashi, K. Yasui, Y. Koizumi; B. Linssen

Match Facts

• Kashima Antlers have kept three clean sheets in seven home matches in the J1 League.
• Urawa Red Diamonds have lost two of their thirteen away matches in the J1 League.
• Kashima Antlers averages 1.43 goals per game when playing at home, and Urawa Red Diamonds averages 1 goal per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the last 51 meetings, Kashima Antlers have won 17 times, Urawa Red Diamonds have won 19 times, and there have been 15 draws, with the goal difference being 67-63 in favor of Urawa Red Diamonds.

Expert Betting Tips

Kashima Antlers have undeniably been struggling for consistency in the league but will most likely want to bank on their home form to record a favorable outcome. And it's also worth noting that they have maintained an eight-match unbeaten run in this fixture, recording six wins and two draws, giving more reason to believe their chances of causing an upset in this one.

Urawa Red Diamonds have cemented their position as a difficult side to beat due to a seven-match unbeaten run, and with their not-so convincing away form in this fixture, they'll be motivated by their impressive form in the league to change all that and pick up their first away win since 2016.

Despite Kashima Antlers being defensively resolute in front of their fans to say they'll be able to keep a clean sheet in this one, it will be a flight of fancy, and as such, we anticipate seeing both sides get on the scoreboard given that this has been the case in seven of their last thirteen matches.

• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 2.00
• 2DNB for 2.00
• Total - Over 2 for 1.76