J1 League Gameweek 8
Urawa 1 - 2 FT Machida Zelvia
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Futmetrix Verdict
43
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Coventry
4-1
Newcastle
⚡ Form
47
⚖️ Balance
95
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
72
Futmetrix Verdict
66
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Atalanta
3-1
Venezia
⚡ Intensity
86
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
0
🎲 Upset
0
Atalanta strike early, Venezia stay sunk.
Futmetrix Verdict
59
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Al-Wasl FC
1-3
Al-Ahli Jeddah
⚡ Intensity
63
⚖️ Balance
54
🏆 Stakes
12
🎲 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
H. Mochizuki (Y. Nakayama) 26'
HT
46' ↓ R. Hidano ↑I. Kiese
55' Matheus Savio (I. Kiese)
↓ T. Nishimura ↑Na Sang-Ho 62'
↓ S. Fujio ↑Erik 62'
74' ↓ K. Yasui ↑K. Shibato
74' ↓ T. Kaneko ↑R. Nitta
74' ↓ A. Onaiwu ↑T. Teruuchi
Y. Soma 81'
89' ↓ Matheus Savio ↑J. Hayakawa
Daihachi Okamura 90'
90'+4 Isaac Kiese Thelin
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Urawa
Goalkeepers
Shusaku Nishikawa 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Takahiro Sekine
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Miyamoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kenta Nemoto 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
5.9
Rating
Takuya Ogiwara 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Midfielders
Takuro Kaneko
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Kaito Yasui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Ryoma Watanabe 
MAGNET
62
Activity
62
Activity
53
Passes
9
Duels
Matheus Sávio 
ARCHITECT
5
Key Passes
5
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Ado Onaiwu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
R. Hidano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
BENCH
Ayumi Niekawa 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Hirokazu Ishihara
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Danilo Boza
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yoichi Naganuma
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kai Shibato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jumpei Hayakawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Toshikazu Teruuchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Isaac Kiese Thelin 
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
45
Minutes
6.7
Rating
Rio Nitta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
16
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Machida Zelvia
Goalkeepers
Kosei Tani
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Ibrahim Drešević
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daihachi Okamura 
SWEEPER
6
Cleanups
6
Cleanups
3
Interceptions
3
Blocks
Gen Shoji
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Henry Heroki Mochizuki 
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Hiroyuki Mae
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Nakayama
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
42%
Pass Acc
Kotaro Hayashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Takuma Nishimura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Yuki Soma 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Shota Fujio
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
BENCH
Tatsuya Morita
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Ryohei Shirasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
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
Neta Lavi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Na Sang-ho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Futa Tokumura
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Erik
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tete Yengi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/22/2026 | Machida Zelvia | 1 - 0 | Urawa | J1 League | New National Stadium |
| 03/22/2026 | Urawa | 1 - 2 | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Saitama Stadium |
| 10/25/2025 | Urawa | 0 - 0 | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Saitama Stadium |
| 04/13/2025 | Machida Zelvia | 0 - 2 | Urawa | J1 League | New National Stadium |
| 08/31/2024 | Machida Zelvia | 2 - 2 | Urawa | J1 League | Japan National Stadium |
| 05/26/2024 | Urawa | 1 - 2 | Machida Zelvia | J1 League | Saitama Stadium 2002 |
| 11/11/2015 | Machida Zelvia | 1 - 7 | Urawa | Emperor Cup | Kumagaya Athletic Stadium |
05/22/2026
03/22/2026
10/25/2025
04/13/2025
08/31/2024
05/26/2024
11/11/2015
Urawa Win
Machida Zelvia Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +11
P: 8 GD: +11
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -10
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -10
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Urawa
Machida Zelvia
Urawa
Machida Zelvia
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Soma's Late Penalty Stuns Saitama Stadium
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 56/100. A relentless 34-shot shootout ultimately tilted towards the visitors thanks to ice-cold composure from the spot.
Early Exchanges
The match exploded into life as Machida Zelvia refused to be intimidated by the famously hostile atmosphere inside Saitama Stadium. Despite Urawa having edged possession with 52% of the ball in the opening sequences, it was the ambitious visitors who drew first blood. H. Mochizuki found the vital breakthrough in the 26th minute, expertly capitalising on a pinpoint delivery from Y. Nakayama to silence the home crowd. The Intensity of this early phase was frankly off the charts, setting the tone for a remarkably frantic encounter. Both goalkeepers were immediately called into heavy action, ultimately contributing to a combined nine crucial saves on the day as the home side peppered the target, desperately trying to find a rapid response to falling behind so early in the fixture.
The Equalising Surge
The tactical Balance shifted violently immediately after the interval. The Urawa manager's crucial halftime tweak paid instant dividends when substitute I. Kiese entered the fray to shake up the attack. In the 55th minute, Kiese provided the perfect cutback assist for Matheus Savio, who rifled home the equaliser with absolute authority. This crucial goal turned the pitch into an open shooting gallery, with an astonishing 34 total shots raining down across the entire 90 minutes of play. Urawa dominated the raw shot count with 19 attempts, heavily leaning on their attacking wingers, but their frustrating wastefulness in the final third kept Machida firmly in the contest. Every subsequent attacking wave from the hosts was met with a stubborn, incredibly organised defensive wall from the title-chasing visitors.
Penalty Drama Decides It
Just as Urawa looked primed to complete a dramatic turnaround and snatch all three points, disaster struck their fatigued backline. A careless challenge inside the penalty area handed Machida a golden lifeline completely against the run of play. Y. Soma stepped up to the mark in the 81st minute, brilliantly blocking out the deafening stadium noise to slot away the decisive penalty kick. This gritty 2-1 victory away from home solidifies Machida Zelvia's formidable position in third place with 22 points, proving their incredible early-season form is absolutely no fluke. For Urawa, it is a profoundly bitter pill to swallow; their fourth loss in five matches leaves them languishing aimlessly in eighth place, exposing deep frailties despite a largely spirited performance on home soil.
Key Questions
How did substitute Matheus Sávio change the game?
He injected crucial attacking urgency, finding the back of the net in the 55th minute to brilliantly level the score and temporarily shift all momentum toward the hosts.
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 Ambitions Collide at Saitama Stadium
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 81/100. Machida Zelvia's relentless away form meets a desperate Urawa side needing a critical win to keep their top-four aspirations alive.
The Setup
A place in the upper echelons of the J1 League is fiercely contested as Urawa host Machida Zelvia at Saitama Stadium. The visitors arrive riding a wave of immense confidence, boasting an eighty percent win rate on the road after securing four victories from five away trips. This strong Form makes them incredibly dangerous opponents. Urawa, conversely, are trying to stabilize after suffering a devastating four-match losing streak earlier in the campaign, and their home struggles are well-documented. With only a twenty-five percent win rate on their own turf, the hosts must dig deep. The Stakes are massive; third-placed Machida can solidify their Champions League qualification spot with a victory, while Urawa sits eleven points adrift in eighth place, absolutely desperate to mount a comeback and close the gap on the leaders. Despite the points disparity, the Balance of the matchup is practically deadlocked, with the odds indicating a razor-thin margin between the sides on the day.
Key Battle
With both sides heavily reliant on their tactical structures rather than individual brilliance, this match will be decided entirely in the transition phases. Urawa's defensive unit must find a way to absorb intense, suffocating high-pressing sequences from the visitors. If the home side's backline fractures under persistent pressure, Machida’s fluid attacking rotations will exploit the spaces instantly. The midfield battle for second balls will ultimately dictate who controls the tempo.
Our Prediction
Expect a tight, nervous affair that only truly opens up in the second half. Urawa will put up fierce resistance, bolstered by Shusaku Nishikawa between the posts—a goalkeeper who has already commanded ten saves and two clean sheets this season. However, Machida's sheer pedigree on their travels will eventually shine through. We anticipate the visitors breaking the deadlock late on, escaping with a narrow 2-1 victory.