J1 League Gameweek 5
Machida Zelvia 1 - 1 PEN 3-1 Kawasaki Frontale
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Futmetrix Verdict
43
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Coventry
4-1
Newcastle
โก Form
47
โ๏ธ Balance
95
๐ Stakes
0
โญ Stars
72
Futmetrix Verdict
66
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Atalanta
3-1
Venezia
โก Intensity
86
โ๏ธ Balance
31
๐ Stakes
0
๐ฒ Upset
0
Atalanta strike early, Venezia stay sunk.
Futmetrix Verdict
59
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Al-Wasl FC
1-3
Al-Ahli Jeddah
โก Intensity
63
โ๏ธ Balance
54
๐ Stakes
12
๐ฒ Upset
0
Clinical Al-Ahli secure vital away victory.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
41' Erik (Y. Soma)
HT
Erison 59'
61' โ T. Yengi โS. Fujio
โ T. Ito โY. Yamamoto 76'
78' Erik
78' Erik
80' โ N. Lavi โR. Shirasaki
โ K. Tachibanada โY. Kobayashi 86'
โ Marcinho โT. Myogan 86'
โ Erison โL. Romanic 90'+1
โ T. Miyagi โS. Kanda 90'+1
90'+4 Hiroyuki Mae
90'+6 โ K. Hayashi โNa Sang-Ho
90'+6 โ G. Shoji โI. Dresevic
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Machida Zelvia
Goalkeepers
Kosei Tani 
ARCHITECT
1
Key Passes
1
Key Passes
0
Assists
32%
Pass Acc
Defenders
Gen Shoji 
NPC
89
Minutes
89
Minutes
35%
Pass Acc
6.2
Rating
Daihachi Okamura 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Nakayama
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
44%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Henry Heroki Mochizuki
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
26%
Pass Acc
Hiroyuki Mae
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Neta Lavi 
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Kotaro Hayashi
NPC
89
Minutes
89
Minutes
23%
Pass Acc
6.6
Rating
Forwards
Erik 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
3
Fouls
7.5
Rating
Yuki Soma 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
8.2
Rating
Tete Yengi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
BENCH
Tatsuya Morita 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Ibrahim Dreลกeviฤ
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hotaka Nakamura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryohei Shirasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Asahi Masuyama
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Keiya Sento
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Na Sang-ho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kanji Kuwayama
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Shota Fujio
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kawasaki Frontale
Goalkeepers
Svend Brodersen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Yuto Matsunagane
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuichi Maruyama
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sota Miura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Reon Yamahara
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
41%
Pass Acc
So Kawahara 
MAGNET
72
Activity
72
Activity
67
Passes
5
Duels
Kento Tachibanada
NPC
86
Minutes
86
Minutes
43%
Pass Acc
6.6
Rating
Marcinho
NPC
86
Minutes
86
Minutes
27%
Pass Acc
6.7
Rating
Forwards
Tatsuya Ito
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
Ten Miyagi
NPC
89
Minutes
89
Minutes
28%
Pass Acc
6.3
Rating
Erison 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
BENCH
Lee Geun-Hyeong
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Ryota Kamihashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
S. Hayashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
H. Noda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuki Yamamoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Toya Myogan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yu Kobayashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lazar Romaniฤ
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Soma Kanda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/17/2026 | Kawasaki Frontale | 1 - 1 (PEN 5-4) | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium |
| 03/28/2026 | Machida Zelvia | 1 - 1 (PEN 3-1) | Kawasaki Frontale | J1 League | Machida GION Stadium |
| 08/31/2025 | Kawasaki Frontale | 5 - 3 | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium |
| 04/06/2025 | Machida Zelvia | 2 - 2 | Kawasaki Frontale | J1 League | Machida GION Stadium |
| 10/05/2024 | Machida Zelvia | 1 - 4 | Kawasaki Frontale | J1 League | Machida Gion Stadium |
| 04/07/2024 | Kawasaki Frontale | 0 - 1 | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu |
| 01/31/2024 | Kawasaki Frontale | 0 - 3 | Machida Zelvia | Friendlies Clubs | Akama Athletic Sports Park |
05/17/2026
03/28/2026
08/31/2025
04/06/2025
10/05/2024
04/07/2024
01/31/2024
Machida Zelvia Win
Kawasaki Frontale Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 5 GD: +6
P: 5 GD: +6
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +5
P: 5 GD: +5
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: +1
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +1
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: +1
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -6
P: 5 GD: -9
P: 5 GD: +1
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -2
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -4
P: 5 GD: -6
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Machida Zelvia
Kawasaki Frontale
Machida Zelvia
Kawasaki Frontale
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Ten-Man Zelvia Survive VAR Drama to Clinch Shootout Glory
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 47/100. A tense top-four clash at Machida Stadium descended into chaos following a VAR-assisted red card, culminating in a spectacular penalty shootout victory for the numerically disadvantaged hosts.
Opening Act
Stepping onto the pitch at Machida Stadium, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation as 3rd-placed Machida Zelvia hosted 4th-placed Kawasaki Frontale. With both sides jockeying for critical position in the top-four race, the Stakes were unmistakably high from the first touch. The visitors from Kawasaki established a comfortable rhythm early, maintaining a slight edge in possession at 53% and patiently probing the defensive lines. However, Machida's setup proved exceptionally resilient. Absorbing the pressure, the hosts struck with clinical precision just before the interval. In the 41st minute, a moment of brilliant vision from Y. Soma unlocked the defense, delivering a pinpoint assist that Erik calmly converted. It was a textbook counter-punch that left the traveling supporters momentarily stunned.
The Pivot
The second half introduced a completely different tactical dynamic, pushing the Balance of the tie to a razorโs edge. Recognizing the urgency, Kawasaki intensified their attacking efforts, and their persistence paid dividends in the 59th minute. Erison found the crucial breakthrough, leveling the score and shifting the momentum firmly toward the visitors. Just as Frontale looked poised to find a winner, the match erupted in controversy in the 78th minute. Goalscorer Erik committed a foul that triggered a lengthy VAR review. The original call was upgraded to a straight red card, instantly sending the match's Intensity soaring. Reduced to ten men, Machida was forced to abandon their attacking ambitions. Marshaled by the defensive brilliance of Yuta Nakayama, they dug deep into a low block, surviving wave after wave of Kawasaki pressure to force the shootout.
Resolution
With regular season parameters demanding a winner via penalty kicks, the tension inside Machida Stadium was palpable. Despite playing over twenty minutes a man down, the hosts carried a siege mentality into the shootout, while Kawasaki seemed psychologically blunted by their inability to break down the ten-man defensive wall. That psychological edge was beautifully exploited by Machida's goalkeeper Kosei Tani. His colossal presence between the sticks overwhelmed the Kawasaki takers, leading Machida to a dominant 3-1 shootout triumph. Tani's heroics rightly earned him Man of the Match honors, acting as the foundation of an unlikely victory. This gritty result keeps Machida firmly entrenched in the upper echelons of the J1 League title race, while Frontale will deeply rue a night where their numerical advantage failed to translate into maximum points.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Erik impact the match?
The 78th-minute dismissal forced Machida into a deep defensive block, ceding control to Kawasaki, but they valiantly defended to ensure the match reached a penalty shootout.
What made Kosei Tani the Man of the Match?
Beyond his crucial interventions during regular time, Tani's commanding presence and dominant saves during the 3-1 penalty shootout victory secured the extra points for Machida.
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.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
Top-Four Tension: Machida Zelvia's Title Test
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 91/100. This top-four showdown carries title-race weight, demanding perfection from two sides desperate to assert their dominance at the summit.
The Setup
March 28, 2026, brings a heavy-hitting J1 League encounter to Machida Stadium. Machida Zelvia sit comfortably in third place, building a formidable campaign built on relentless momentum. Kawasaki Frontale trail behind in fourth, knowing anything less than a victory in this six-pointer will seriously derail their own lofty ambitions. The Stakes could not be clearer. Machida's recent Form is impressive, boasting four wins from their last five league outings. Kawasaki has been erratic, alternating wins and losses, but their undeniable pedigree away from home means they are more than capable of spoiling the party.
Key Battle
This fixture will be decided by the attacking Stars on display. Yuki Soma has been terrifying defenses all season with his direct running and clinical edge for Machida. He faces off against the creative hub of Kawasaki, Yasuto Wakizaka. If Wakizaka can dictate the tempo and bypass Machida's aggressive press, Kawasaki has a route to goal. But if Soma finds space in transition, it could be a very long afternoon for the visitors' backline.
Our Prediction
We expect a 2-1 victory for Machida Zelvia. While the underlying Balance suggests a fiercely contested midfield battle early on, the hosts possess too much offensive cohesion right now. Kawasaki will push hard and likely find the net, but Machida's sustained pressure in the second half will eventually break down a historically leaky visiting defense.