Ceara's golden boot hunt continues? (Yokohama FC vs Kashima Antlers prediction) | OneFootball

Kashima Look to Maintain Title Charge Against Struggling Yokohama FC

Kashima Antlers will aim to continue their impressive form when they visit relegation-threatened Yokohama FC in Tuesday's J1 League clash at NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium.

Toru Oniki's side currently sit second in the table after bouncing back from a brief slump with consecutive victories, while the hosts are winless in three matches and hovering precariously in 15th position.

Yokohama's attacking woes

Yokohama FC's struggles this season can be largely attributed to their blunted attack, particularly since the absence of Brazilian forward João Paulo, who remains in his homeland recovering from a left tibia stress fracture.

Manager S. Yomoda has maintained a consistent starting lineup in recent matches, with January arrival Lukian leading the line and scoring in their last outing - a 2-1 defeat to Kyoto Sanga. However, with just three wins from 12 matches, Yokohama are desperately seeking a turnaround in fortunes.

Their injury concerns have been compounded by midfielder Towa Yamane's knock sustained in their previous match, adding to a list that already includes goalkeeper Tsubasa Shibuya, who has been sidelined with a shoulder dislocation since January.

Antlers finding their stride

After a significant squad overhaul during the winter transfer window, Kashima have found their rhythm under new manager Toru Oniki, who arrived from Kawasaki Frontale with a reputation for aggressive, pressing football.

The visitors have been particularly impressive in attack, with Leo Ceara emerging as one of the league's deadliest finishers, netting eight goals in just ten appearances since his move from Cerezo Osaka.

Aleksandar Čavrić has also made an immediate impact, scoring the decisive goal in their recent 1-0 victory over Nagoya Grampus. The defensive unit, anchored by Naomichi Ueda and featuring the creative influence of Koki Anzai (three assists), has provided a solid foundation for their title challenge.

The only significant blow for Kashima has been the loss of Shu Morooka to a left Achilles tendon rupture, announced just last week. The forward had featured in all 11 league matches before his injury.

Recent form

Yokohama FC's last five league matches have yielded just four points (W1 D1 L3), while Kashima have recovered from a three-match losing streak to secure back-to-back victories.

The hosts' sole win in this period came against Shimizu S-Pulse (2-0), but they've since failed to build on that result, drawing with Albirex Niigata and losing to both Gamba Osaka and Kyoto Sanga.

Kashima, meanwhile, have demonstrated their title credentials with recent wins over Fagiano Okayama (2-1) and Nagoya Grampus (1-0), helping them maintain pressure at the top of the table.

Prediction

The contrast in form and quality between these sides suggests a challenging evening for the hosts. Yokohama's attacking limitations without João Paulo have been evident, while Kashima's potent forward line should cause problems for a defence that has shown vulnerability.

With Leo Ceara in prolific form and Čavrić providing additional firepower, the visitors should have too much quality for Yokohama, despite the potential fatigue factor from a congested fixture list.

Predicted Score: Yokohama FC 0 - 2 Kashima Antlers