J1 League Regular Season - 12
Vissel Kobe 1 - 0 FT Kyoto Sanga
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Joao Pedro 41'
HT
46' ↓ M. Hidaka ↑R. Hirose
↓ S. Asada ↑K. Sato 61'
↓ T. Hiraoka ↑R. Nakano 61'
↓ F. Honda ↑Souza Alex 61'
67' ↓ Diego ↑K. Nagato
Rafael Elias 72'
76' ↓ D. Sasaki ↑M. Mitsuta
↓ H. Arai ↑S. Nagasawa 84'
↓ H. Sugai ↑Y. Ishida 88'
90'+5 M. Mitsuta
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Vissel Kobe
Goalkeepers
Daiya Maekawa 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Gotoku Sakai 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Boniface Nduka 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Thuler
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Caetano 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
5
Tackles
100%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Mitsuki Hidaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Yosuke Ideguchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Diego
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
67
Total Mins
67
Entry
Forwards
Yoshinori Muto
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Yuya Osako
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daiju Sasaki 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
BENCH
Shuichi Gonda 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Rikuto Hirose
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
52
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Katsuya Nagato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nanasei Iino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Goke
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuya Kuwasaki
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
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ren Komatsu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kyoto Sanga
Goalkeepers
Gakuji Ota
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Hidehiro Sugai
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
43%
Duel Win %
Yoshinori Suzuki
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
62%
Duel Win %
Henrique Trevisan 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Own Goal
Mistake
Own Goal
Mistake
0
Fouls
7.3
Rating
Shogo Asada
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Sung-jun Yoon 
MAGNET
64
Activity
64
Activity
54
Passes
10
Duels
Haruki Arai
LATE SHIFT
6
Late Mins
6
Late Mins
84
Total Mins
84
Entry
João Pedro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Taiyo Hiraoka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
61
Entry
Fuchi Honda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Forwards
Rafael Elias
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Kentaro Kakoi
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Yusuke Ishida
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Kyo Sato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
37
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ryuma Nakano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
37
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Takuji Yonemoto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Taiki Hirato
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Temma Matsuda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alex Souza
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
36
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Shun Nagasawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/06/2026 | Kyoto Sanga | 1 - 1 (PEN 1-4) | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 12/06/2025 | Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 02/26/2025 | Vissel Kobe | 1 - 1 | Kyoto Sanga | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 10/27/2024 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 1 | Kyoto Sanga | Emperor Cup | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 10/06/2024 | Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 3 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 04/27/2024 | Vissel Kobe | 0 - 1 | Kyoto Sanga | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 09/03/2023 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 1 | Kyoto Sanga | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 04/01/2023 | Kyoto Sanga | 0 - 3 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 09/03/2022 | Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | Sanga Stadium by Kyocera |
| 04/02/2022 | Vissel Kobe | 1 - 3 | Kyoto Sanga | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
02/06/2026
12/06/2025
02/26/2025
10/27/2024
10/06/2024
04/27/2024
09/03/2023
04/01/2023
09/03/2022
04/02/2022
Vissel Kobe Win
Kyoto Sanga Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Fine Margins and Frustration at Noevir Stadium
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 19/100. A distinctly underwhelming contest was settled by the cruelest of deflections, keeping the hosts firmly anchored in the title race.
A Stuttering Start
Expectations were high given the Stakes for the home side, but the opening exchanges at Noevir Stadium Kobe offered little in the way of fluid football. With both teams suffering from a dire 72% passing accuracy, the midfield turned into a chaotic swamp of unforced errors and fragmented transitions. Vissel Kobe leaned heavily on set-piece situations to build their attacking momentum. Generating a barrage of 10 corners, they applied persistent pressure into the penalty area, desperately searching for a breakthrough. However, the high Balance of the match meant Kyoto Sanga comfortably absorbed this aerial bombardment without their goalkeeper being truly tested in open play. The visiting defence remained compact, easily repelling the crosses and forcing the title contenders into increasingly frustrated sideways passing sequences as the half dragged to a scoreless conclusion.
The VAR Intervention
As the clock ticked past the hour mark, the match was desperately crying out for a creative spark or a moment of individual brilliance. The Intensity briefly spiked in the 72nd minute when Rafael Elias seemingly broke the deadlock for the hard-working visitors. The away section erupted, believing they had secured a vital advantage against the run of play. However, those wild celebrations were brutally cut short. A lengthy VAR review identified a marginal offside infringement in the buildup, chalking off the goal and instantly deflating Kyoto's hard-earned momentum. It was a severe psychological blow from which the away side would never truly recover, shifting the atmospheric advantage back to the frustrated home crowd who sensed a late reprieve.
The Cruel Decider
Football is frequently a game dictated by fine margins, and Kyoto’s bitter heartbreak was compounded just six minutes after their disallowed effort. A chaotic and scrambling sequence inside the penalty area culminated in a desperately unfortunate own goal credited to Henrique Trevisan, suddenly handing Vissel Kobe a lead they barely deserved on the balance of play. The hosts safely and cynically navigated the remaining minutes to secure a 1-0 victory, managing the clock with veteran experience. While the Upset Factor remained firmly locked away on this occasion, this gritty, highly functional victory keeps Kobe in second place. It proved conclusively that grinding out ugly, fortuitous victories is just as vital for a serious title challenge as producing free-flowing tactical masterclasses.
Key Questions
Why was Kyoto Sanga's goal ruled out?
Rafael Elias found the net in the 72nd minute, but the goal was overturned by VAR due to an offside infringement during the buildup.
How was the match decided?
Vissel Kobe secured the 1-0 victory thanks to an unfortunate own goal involving Henrique Trevisan in the 78th minute.
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 Peaks as Vissel Kobe Host Kyoto Sanga
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 64/100. Vissel Kobe's championship credentials face a stern examination against a dangerous Kyoto Sanga side looking to disrupt the title picture.
The Setup
On May 13, 2026, Vissel Kobe take the pitch at Noevir Stadium with one clear objective: maintaining their title charge. Sitting second in the J1 League on 28 points, the home side has turned their stadium into a true fortress. A soaring Form rating validates their home dominance, having won five of their last six fixtures in front of their own supporters. Kyoto Sanga arrive in seventh place, trailing the hosts by eight points. While the visitors lack the outright consistency of the title contenders, their attacking capability ensures high Stakes for a home side that cannot afford to drop points.
Key Battle
The tactical clash on the flank will define this encounter. Katsuya Nagato has been exceptional for Vissel Kobe, contributing both defensive solidity and attacking width. He faces a tough assignment against Kyoto Sanga's João Pedro, whose recent goalscoring exploits demand constant attention. The Stars alignment points to this wide duel as the main event capable of breaking the deadlock.
Our Prediction
Vissel Kobe's overwhelming home advantage gives them the edge. We expect a hard-fought 2-1 victory for the hosts. Kyoto Sanga will likely strike on the counter, but the home side's sustained, suffocating pressure will ultimately break the visitors' resolve late in the second half.