Hello again folks! Another week means another tip. And you know me, I love the Asian leagues, even if sometimes they do not love me back. That’s why in this week’s pick we are going to Japan to watch a match for the Japanese third division, the J3 league, between Nara Club and Zweigen Kanazawa. But before that Let’s get to know our teams!
Nara Club
Nara Club, established in 1991, is a football club based in Nara, Japan. It reached the top division in 1997 and was renamed Tonan Club in 2008. The club was promoted to the regional league in 2009 and won the Regional League promotion series in 2014, earning promotion to the Japan Football League. In November 2022, Nara was promoted to the J3 League for the first time in their history, after defeating Veertien Mie in a narrow 1–0 win. The club secured their first JFL title in October 2023, drawing 1–1 with Sony Sendai in the final round. In October 2023, the club was granted a J2 License after approval from the Club Licensing Board.
Zweigen Kanazawa
Kanazawa Soccer Club, established in 1956, was promoted to the JFL in 2009 after defeating FC Kariya in a playoff. In 2010, Zweigen, Inc. was established to apply for J-League associate membership. In 2011, Zweigen became the inaugural J3 League champion and gained a license to compete in the J2 League in 2015. However, in 2023, they were relegated to the J3 League for the 2024 season, ending their 9-year stay in J2. The name “Zweigen” is a portmanteau of the German words zwei (number 2) and gen (to advance), and is a key part of the club’s crest, featuring a fleur-de-lis. The club’s name is a portmanteau of the phrase “tsuyoi noda!” (We’re strong) and the word Zweigen (branches), which means branches in the Kanazawa dialect.
The Stats
Nara Club is our home team for this match and they are now in the 12th position at the league’s table with 5 points in 5 matches played, a single win, 2 draws, and 2 losses. They also have 4 goals scored and 6 suffered. Overall, balanced numbers. On the other side of the field, we have our visitors, the Zweigen Kanazawa, with only 3 points in 5 games played. They have a single win and 4 losses, 4 goals scored and 13 suffered, showing a weak defense.
Now what?
Now you know the drill. We wait a little while to see if any of the teams sends a surprise our way and then make our decision. So, as ususal, stay tuned because in a couple of days we will be back with an update for this pick that hopefully will give us some winnings!
Update
Well met, everyone! It’s nice to see you again after so long. It has been days after all! Now, now, jokes aside, yes, I know, this update is coming a little earlier than normal, but still, the game goes on as normal. So, let’s see how our teams compare so we can make a decision for our free football pick of the week. The positions did not change much, with Nara Club still in 12th place and Zweigen Kanazawa still in 14th place, so let’s see what else we can scrounge up from the other stats between both teams.
First of all, the Nara Club has only one loss in their last 6 matches, while the visitors have 3 losses and 2 wins. This may show a little advantage for the home team. But in my opinion, we will see goals from both sides here, so my main choice is both to score. My second choice would be under 3.5 as very few matches from both sides ever go over that mark. Finally, if the odds are good enough a Nara Club to win bet may be a good choice. However, I would not risk an Asian handicap for this one. Make sure to open an account at the best betting platform to make the most of it!