J1 League Gameweek 3
Kyoto Sanga 1 - 3 FT Mito Hollyhock
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Futmetrix Verdict
93
Plzen
vs
Union St. Gilloise
Thu, Sep 17 • 19:00 UTC
⚡ Form
4
⚖️ Balance
100
🏆 Stakes
100
⭐ Stars
45
A gritty start to European nights.
Futmetrix Verdict
56
OFI
vs
1899 Hoffenheim
Thu, Sep 17 • 16:45 UTC
⚡ Form
7
⚖️ Balance
54
🏆 Stakes
100
⭐ Stars
45
Hoffenheim huge favorites in Crete trip.
Futmetrix Verdict
59
Real Betis
vs
Getafe
Thu, Sep 17 • 17:00 UTC
⚡ Form
43
⚖️ Balance
67
🏆 Stakes
33
⭐ Stars
70
Getafe's survival instincts face Betis test.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
T. Mase (Y. Funabashi) 17'
Y. Kimoto (Y. Funabashi) 31'
HT
46' ↓ Weverton ↑K. Nagata
46' ↓ T. Hirato ↑Everton Maceio
↓ A. Watanabe ↑C. Kato 63'
C. Kato (T. Semba) 68'
73' ↓ K. Sato ↑R. Yamanaka
73' ↓ H. Arai ↑S. Nagasawa
↓ Y. Torikai ↑R. Nemoto 77'
↓ K. Uchino ↑H. Yamamoto 77'
82' R. Nakano (S. Nagasawa)
↓ Y. Funabashi ↑S. Yamashita 85'
86' ↓ Joao Pedro ↑F. Honda
↓ K. Taniguchi ↑A. Kawazura 86'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Kyoto Sanga
Goalkeepers
Gakuji Ota 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Shinnosuke Fukuda 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Weverton 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Yoshinori Suzuki 
SHIELD
3
Blocks
3
Blocks
0
Interceptions
3
Tackles
Kyo Sato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
73
Entry
Midfielders
João Pedro 
NPC
68
Minutes
68
Minutes
36%
Pass Acc
6.9
Rating
Sung-jun Yoon
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryuma Nakano 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Taiki Hirato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Haruki Arai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
73
Entry
Forwards
Rafael Elias
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Kentaro Kakoi 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Kodai Nagata
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hisashi Appiah Tawiah
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Fuchi Honda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Shimpei Fukuoka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryosuke Yamanaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Everton
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Takumi Kato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Shun Nagasawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mito Hollyhock
Goalkeepers
Konosuke Nishikawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Takumi Mase 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Yasuki Kimoto
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Kenta Itakura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sho Omori
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Yoshiki Torikai
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
77
Entry
Taishi Semba 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
4
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Yu Funabashi 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
2
Assists
37%
Pass Acc
Kaito Taniguchi
NPC
68
Minutes
68
Minutes
15%
Pass Acc
6.3
Rating
Forwards
Kotaro Uchino
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
77
Entry
Arata Watanabe
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
Shuhei Matsubara
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Rei Ieizumi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Akinari Kawazura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hayata Yamamoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chihiro Kato 
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
5
Minutes
7.3
Rating
Shota Yamashita
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kishin Gokita
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Patryck Ferreira
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryo Nemoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/22/2021 | Mito Hollyhock | 0 - 2 | Kyoto Sanga | J2 League | K’s Denki Stadium |
| 05/16/2021 | Kyoto Sanga | 1 - 0 | Mito Hollyhock | J2 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 11/15/2020 | Mito Hollyhock | 2 - 1 | Kyoto Sanga | J2 League | K’s Denki Stadium |
| 08/12/2020 | Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 2 | Mito Hollyhock | J2 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 08/17/2019 | Mito Hollyhock | 3 - 0 | Kyoto Sanga | J2 League | K's denki Stadium Mito (Mito) |
| 07/03/2019 | Mito Hollyhock | 1 - 0 | Kyoto Sanga | Emperor Cup | K’s Denki Stadium |
| 06/29/2019 | Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 2 | Mito Hollyhock | J2 League | Kyōto Nishikyogoku Stadium (Kyōto (Kyoto)) |
| 07/16/2018 | Kyoto Sanga | 0 - 1 | Mito Hollyhock | J2 League | Kyōto Nishikyogoku Stadium (Kyōto (Kyoto)) |
| 04/28/2018 | Mito Hollyhock | 1 - 2 | Kyoto Sanga | J2 League | K's denki Stadium Mito (Mito) |
| 08/16/2017 | Mito Hollyhock | 2 - 0 | Kyoto Sanga | J2 League | K's denki Stadium Mito (Mito) |
08/22/2021
05/16/2021
11/15/2020
08/12/2020
08/17/2019
07/03/2019
06/29/2019
07/16/2018
04/28/2018
08/16/2017
Kyoto Sanga Win
Mito Hollyhock Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +10
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +6
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -6
League Standings
P: 6 GD: +13
P: 7 GD: +6
P: 7 GD: +3
P: 7 GD: +1
P: 6 GD: +8
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +2
P: 6 GD: +1
P: 6 GD: 0
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: +3
P: 6 GD: -3
P: 6 GD: -3
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 7 GD: -5
P: 6 GD: -1
P: 6 GD: -4
P: 6 GD: -7
P: 6 GD: -6
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Kyoto Sanga
Mito Hollyhock
Kyoto Sanga
Mito Hollyhock
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Hollyhock Ambush Sanga in Kyoto Shocker
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 40/100. Mito Hollyhock defied the odds and sterile possession to secure a ruthless early-season away victory.
Early Clinical Precision
Kyoto Sanga controlled possession right out of the gate at Sanga Stadium by Kyocera, but their passing lacked a lethal edge. The Upset Factor began to spike early as Mito Hollyhock struck devastatingly on the break. In the 17th minute, T. Mase found the back of the net after a brilliant, defense-splitting setup by Y. Funabashi. The hosts looked entirely shell-shocked. Instead of retreating, Mito instantly turned up the Intensity. Before the home side could recalibrate their defensive lines, Y. Kimoto doubled the visitors' advantage in the 31st minute, powering home another pinpoint delivery from Funabashi. The home crowd fell totally silent as their team's early rhythm was violently dismantled by Mito's sheer efficiency in the final third.
The Decisive Gamble
The second half saw Sanga desperately pushing forward to salvage their shattered early-season form. However, Konosuke Nishikawa stood like a brick wall between the posts, pulling off three crucial saves to maintain his team's two-goal cushion. The definitive turning point arrived midway through the half when Mito's manager rolled the tactical dice. Enter C. Kato in the 63rd minute. The substitute needed barely five minutes to make his mark, slamming home Mito's third goal in the 68th minute after T. Semba provided the assist. This rapid-fire strike completely destroyed the Balance of the tie, transforming a tense chess match into an undeniable rout. Sanga's sterile ball retention meant absolutely nothing against a team so incredibly sharp on the counter.
Too Little, Too Late
With the match effectively over as a contest, Kyoto managed to grab a late consolation prize. In the 82nd minute, R. Nakano converted a rare opening created by S. Nagasawa, briefly giving the home faithful something to applaud. But it was far too little, too late to mount a genuine comeback. The 3-1 victory catapults Mito away from the immediate bottom of the table, dealing a massive psychological blow to their 15th-placed rivals. The high Stakes of this early lower-table clash clearly favoured the visitors, who definitively proved that unleashing 13 shots with minimal ball retention is vastly deadlier than dominating the midfield without a plan. Kyoto must head back to the drawing board to fix their blunt attack.
Key Questions
How did substitute Yasuki Kimoto change the game?
Yasuki Kimoto actually started and scored early. It was substitute C. Kato who truly changed the late game, scoring five minutes after coming on.
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.
Early Season Stagnation
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 23/100. Two winless sides stumble into Sanga Stadium by Kyocera searching for an identity, making this August 22 clash an easy one to skip for neutrals craving high-quality football.
The Setup
A miserable Form rating tells the story of two sides still stuck in the starting blocks. Kyoto Sanga and Mito Hollyhock both opened their J1 League campaigns with disappointing defeats that highlighted their respective tactical shortcomings. The Stakes remain incredibly low at this stage of the regular season, meaning there is no immediate desperation, just a lingering frustration. Furthermore, a distinct lack of top-tier Stars on the pitch limits the broader appeal of this fixture. Our Balance check points to a tight contest, but mostly because both squads are equally flawed right now rather than matching each other in excellence.
Key Battle
Kyoto's attack relies heavily on the output of Rafael Elias and the creativity of M. Okugawa. They face a visiting defensive unit that already looks incredibly vulnerable in transition following their opening weekend loss. The away backline must lock down the central channels and force Kyoto out wide. If Mito cannot disrupt the home side's passing rhythm early on, it will be a terribly long afternoon for their traveling supporters.
Our Prediction
We back Kyoto Sanga to edge it with a narrow 2-1 victory. Expect a scrappy, disjointed affair defined by midfield fouls. The hosts hold a slight geographical advantage in front of their home fans and possess just enough attacking firepower to break the deadlock late in the second half.