Another week means another pick, and this time we are going back to the Japanese J3 League! The match in question will be Matsumoto Yamaga vs Azul Claro Numazu. Now, before we dive into some basic stats, let’s get to know our teams a little better:
Matsumoto Yamaga
Matsumoto Yamaga FC, founded in 1965 as Yamaga Club by players from Nagano Prefecture, was renamed in 2004 to support its ambition of joining the J. League. The club’s notable success in the Hokushin’etsu First Division and Emperor’s Cup led to their promotion to the Japan Football League in 2007. Despite a rocky 2009 season, including a 4th place regional finish but a notable Emperor’s Cup victory over Urawa Red Diamonds, the club advanced to J. League Division 2 in 2011. They earned their first promotion to the J1 League but faced immediate relegation. In 2018, Yamaga won the J2 League title, securing another promotion to J1. However, a high player turnover led to struggles, including a poor start and significant losses in 2020, resulting in the sacking of manager Keiichiro Nuno. The club finished 13th that season and continued to experience instability, with major roster changes and managerial shifts. In 2022, Matsumoto played in J3, finishing fourth and failing to secure promotion back to J2. They will play their third consecutive season in J3 in 2024.
Azul Claro Numazu
Azul Claro Numazu, established in 1977 as Numazu Arsenal, gradually advanced through the Shizuoka prefectural leagues. In 2006, the club began transforming into a professional organization, adopting the name Azul Claro, meaning “light blue” in Portuguese and Spanish. By 2012, Azul Claro had won promotion to the Tōkai Adult Soccer League and swiftly climbed its ranks. Despite finishing fourth in the 2013 Tōkai League, they were strong contenders for the new J3 League. Granted J. League Associate Membership in 2013, they ultimately secured promotion by being selected by the Japan Football League board for the 2014 season. After a third-place finish in 2016, Azul Claro was welcomed as one of the 14 original clubs in the J3 League in 2017. On October 24, 2023, the club was officially granted a J2 License following approval by the Club Licensing Board.
The current stats
In terms of performance, Matsumoto Yamaga has accumulated 20 points from 15 matches, scoring 20 goals and conceding 22, a quite balanced number. And that’s not the only balanced number in their stats, they also have 5 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses. In contrast, Azul Claro Numazu has secured 25 points from their 15 matches, with 22 goals scored and only 13 conceded. In addition, they have 7 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses.
Matsumoto Yamaga vs Azul Claro Numazu – Who has the advantage?
The visitors have an advantage here, for their strong defense if nothing else. However, checking the recent performance, we can see that both sides could do better, despite the visitor’s higher position in the table. The head to head history still favors Azul Claro Numazu, but I do believe this match may be closer than what it seems. If the odds permit, a bet on Azul Claro Numazu will be ideal, otherwise, an Over 1.5 or “both to score – no” bet may be a good alternative.
Update
It has been a week and as promised we are back with an update for this pick. Both sides had a match on the 8th, so let’s talk about how they did before making our prediction. Our home team Matsumoto Yamaga had a nice 0-4 win against 16th placed Gainare Tottori, while the visitors, Azul Claro Numazu, had a 1-5 victory against 12th placed Gifu. This shows us that both sides have a good attack, but Azul Claro’s defense is still stronger overall considering general stats for the entire league so far.
Which brings us to our pick. The ideal final pick here would be Azul Claro Numazu, but the odds for that one may not be for everyone. So, I will go with the next best choice and bet on Azul Claro Numazu to win -1 AH. Should those odds not be to your liking, a bet on Over 2 goals full time is also a good choice. Finally, if you are feeling adventurous, a both to score bet should have good odds considering Azul Claro Numazu’s high defense. Now, you need to open an account at the best betting platform so you can follow this pick and become a winner with us!