J1 League Gameweek 18
Avispa Fukuoka 0 - 1 FT Vissel Kobe
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
22' K. Yamawaki
24' K. Yamawaki
38' T. Oka
M. Thuler (Y. Muto) 45'+5
HT
65' ↓ Y. Kitajima ↑M. Shigemi
65' ↓ K. Yamawaki ↑M. Yuzawa
72' ↓ K. Fujimoto ↑A. Sani Brown
82' ↓ K. Shiihashi ↑S. Sato
82' ↓ S. Usui ↑Y. Michiwaki
↓ Y. Osako ↑R. Komatsu 84'
89' A. Sani Brown
↓ G. Sakai ↑M. Hidaka 90'+2
↓ Caetano ↑K. Nagato 90'+3
↓ Y. Muto ↑Jean Patric 90'+7
↓ R. Hirose ↑N. Iino 90'+7
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Avispa Fukuoka
Goalkeepers
Kazuki Fujita 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Teppei Oka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kamijima Takumi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuma Tsujioka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Kaoru Yamawaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Keiya Shiihashi
LATE SHIFT
8
Late Mins
8
Late Mins
82
Total Mins
82
Entry
Tomoya Miki 
ARCHITECT
5
Key Passes
5
Key Passes
0
Assists
37%
Pass Acc
Maejima Yota
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Yuji Kitajima
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Kazuki Fujimoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
72
Total Mins
72
Entry
Shosei Usui
LATE SHIFT
8
Late Mins
8
Late Mins
82
Total Mins
82
Entry
BENCH
Powell Obinna Obi 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Tashiro Masaya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daiki Miya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuzawa Masato
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
4%
Pass Acc
Kohei Okuno
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Masato Shigemi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
32
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sonosuke Sato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdel Hanan Sani Brown
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yutaka Michiwaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vissel Kobe
Goalkeepers
Shuichi Gonda 
OCTOPUS
5
Saves
5
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Boniface Nduka
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
24%
Pass Acc
Thuler 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Caetano
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Midfielders
Rikuto Hirose
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Yosuke Ideguchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gotoku Sakai 
NPC
92
Minutes
92
Minutes
31%
Pass Acc
6.5
Rating
Diego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Yoshinori Muto 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
2
Key Passes
7.3
Rating
Daiju Sasaki 
MAGNET
49
Activity
49
Activity
39
Passes
10
Duels
Yuya Osako 
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
BENCH
Daiya Maekawa
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Katsuya Nagato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nanasei Iino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mitsuki Hidaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Goke
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Takashi Inui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Makoto Mitsuta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jean Patric
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ren Komatsu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/23/2026 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 1 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Best Denki Stadium |
| 02/27/2026 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 1 | Avispa Fukuoka | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 06/28/2025 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Best Denki Stadium |
| 03/01/2025 | Vissel Kobe | 0 - 1 | Avispa Fukuoka | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 09/01/2024 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 2 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Best Denki Stadium |
| 05/15/2024 | Vissel Kobe | 1 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 06/25/2023 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 3 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Best Denki Stadium |
| 02/18/2023 | Vissel Kobe | 1 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 10/01/2022 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 1 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Best Denki Stadium |
| 08/10/2022 | Avispa Fukuoka | 1 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J-League Cup | Best Denki Stadium |
05/23/2026
02/27/2026
06/28/2025
03/01/2025
09/01/2024
05/15/2024
06/25/2023
02/18/2023
10/01/2022
08/10/2022
Avispa Fukuoka Win
Vissel Kobe Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 20 GD: +17
P: 18 GD: +20
P: 18 GD: +6
P: 20 GD: +9
P: 18 GD: +12
P: 18 GD: +3
P: 20 GD: +10
P: 18 GD: +4
P: 18 GD: +8
P: 19 GD: +4
P: 18 GD: +7
P: 18 GD: +7
P: 19 GD: +9
P: 18 GD: -4
P: 18 GD: -1
P: 20 GD: +9
P: 18 GD: -6
P: 18 GD: +4
P: 19 GD: +3
P: 18 GD: -1
P: 18 GD: -2
P: 19 GD: +7
P: 18 GD: -3
P: 18 GD: -7
P: 20 GD: -6
P: 18 GD: -16
P: 18 GD: -8
P: 19 GD: -6
P: 18 GD: -13
P: 18 GD: -10
P: 19 GD: -1
P: 19 GD: -5
P: 19 GD: +4
P: 19 GD: +1
P: 19 GD: -1
P: 19 GD: -2
P: 20 GD: -9
P: 19 GD: -11
P: 20 GD: -18
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Gonda's Heroics Secure Kobe's Summit Status
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 45/100. Vissel Kobe survived a fierce onslaught from Avispa Fukuoka, relying on defensive mastery to solidify their J1 League lead.
The Early Scare
A relentless Intensity set the tone immediately at Best Denki Stadium, turning the pitch into a fierce battleground. Avispa Fukuoka played nothing like a team trapped near the bottom of the table. Instead, they pressed the league leaders with a frantic energy that rattled the visitors early on. The hosts thought they drew first blood in the 24th minute. K. Yamawaki forced the ball into the net, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. However, VAR intervened abruptly, ruling out the goal for a handball in the buildup. The Balance of play remained tightly contested throughout this opening phase. While Vissel Kobe slowly settled and edged possession at 54%, Fukuoka’s physical approach proved they were desperate for crucial survival points.
The Stoppage-Time Strike
Football can be an incredibly cruel game, and the ultimate pivot arrived just as the halftime whistle loomed. Deep into the fifth minute of stoppage time, Kobe ruthlessly capitalized on a momentary lapse in concentration. Y. Muto found space and delivered a pinpoint pass into the danger zone. M. Thuler was there to meet it, burying the chance with precision to make it 1-0. It was a classic sucker punch right before the break. Kobe managed a mere three shots on target over the entire ninety minutes, but their clinical edge justified their place at the summit. The immense Stakes of this encounter meant that a single lapse could be fatal, and that singular goal suddenly felt like an impossible mountain for the spirited hosts to climb.
The Defensive Stand
The second half transformed into a chaotic, one-sided siege. Fukuoka refused to lie down, unleashing an onslaught of 14 total shots as they threw absolutely everything forward in search of a deserved equalizer. But they ran into a brick wall. Shuichi Gonda was simply unbeatable between the posts. The goalkeeper delivered an absolute masterclass under pressure, pulling off five crucial saves to repeatedly frustrate the hosts. Just ahead of him, Boniface Nduka marshaled the backline, putting in an outstanding performance to clear away any loose danger. Kobe happily absorbed the pressure, showing exactly the kind of gritty resilience required to win titles. This hard-fought victory keeps Kobe firmly in control of the league, while Fukuoka’s misery deepens as their frustrating winless rut stretches on.
Key Questions
What does this mean for Avispa Fukuoka's season?
The defeat leaves them stranded on 17 points, deepening their winless run and keeping them uncomfortably close to the relegation scrap.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Title Race Tension Takes Centre Stage
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 72/100. Vissel Kobe’s championship credentials face a stern examination on the road against an unpredictable Avispa Fukuoka side desperate for home redemption.
The Setup
On May 23, 2026, Best Denki Stadium plays host to a pivotal J1 League encounter as Vissel Kobe aim to assert their dominance near the summit. Sitting comfortably in second place, the visitors know the Stakes could not be higher in their pursuit of the title. However, a highly erratic Form rating for both sides suggests a lack of momentum; Kobe and Avispa Fukuoka have both traded wins and losses in recent weeks. Fukuoka's well-documented home woes—winning just one of their seven matches on home turf—put immense pressure on T. Miki to create a spark from midfield. Conversely, Kobe will rely on T. Miyashiro to unlock a stubborn defence. With a modest Stars rating indicating a lack of marquee headliners, the overall Balance of the match points toward a gritty, attritional affair.
Key Battle
Without overwhelming individual star power dominating the pitch, this clash will be decided by collective unit coherence. Fukuoka's central midfield will attempt to thread quick transitional passes to expose spaces left behind, testing a resolute Kobe defensive block. It is a classic tactical battle of midfield progression versus disciplined, collective defensive structuring.
Our Prediction
We expect Vissel Kobe to embrace the pressure of the title race. Exploiting Fukuoka's dismal home record, Kobe will likely dictate the tempo early on. A narrow but controlled 1-0 away victory seems the most probable outcome, keeping the visitors' championship dreams firmly intact.