After successful outings in the Emperor’s Cup, Shonan Bellmare and Machida Zelvia return to J1 League action this Saturday at the Lemon Gas Stadium. Shonan claimed a 2-0 win over Gifu midweek, while Machida narrowly defeated Kyoto Sangyo 2-1, setting the stage for a competitive league encounter.
With both sides hoping to translate cup form into league consistency, this clash pits two stuttering teams with contrasting home and away fortunes.
Shonan Searching for League Stability
Cup competitions have provided some relief for Shonan Bellmare amid a difficult league campaign. Their recent 2-0 victory over third-tier Gifu, courtesy of second-half goals from Akito Suzuki and Kim Min-tae, followed a similar win over Jubilo Iwata. Those results helped them progress in both the Emperor’s Cup and YBC Levain Cup.
However, things look far less positive in the J1 League. Shonan are winless in three consecutive matches, with just one league win from their last seven. Even their home ground has offered little comfort, as they remain without a league victory at the Lemon Gas Stadium in their last five attempts.
Sitting 16th in the table with 22 points from 19 games, the Hiratsuka side have scored only 14 league goals – the third lowest in the division. While their defense has held firm more often than not, conceding 23 times, a lack of firepower up front continues to limit their progress.
With only three points separating them from the relegation zone, and FC Tokyo holding a game in hand below them, Shonan cannot afford to let this dry spell persist.
Machida Hoping to Bounce Back on the Road
Like their hosts, Machida Zelvia’s domestic cup win offers hope of reigniting their league form. A spirited 2-1 comeback over Kyoto Sangyo saw them through to the next round of the Emperor’s Cup. Yet in league play, Go Kuroda’s men have stumbled, managing just one win from their last six games.
After ending a three-game winless run with a commanding 3-0 victory against Kashiwa Reysol, Zelvia have only managed one point from two matches since, including a disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to bottom-placed Yokohama F Marinos.
Their strength this season has largely come away from home, with five wins from ten road fixtures, making them the third-best traveling team in the division. However, they are now winless in their last three away games, and upcoming opponents Shonan have historically dominated this fixture.
Machida are winless in seven previous meetings with Bellmare, suffering four defeats and scoring just once across all encounters. They currently sit 10th in the standings with 25 points, and will be hoping to break that curse in Hiratsuka this weekend.
Form Guide
Shonan Bellmare’s recent run includes two wins, two losses, and two draws across all competitions. Their league form remains a concern with just one victory in their last seven, and no home wins in their last five attempts at the Lemon Gas Stadium.
Machida Zelvia come into this fixture having earned two wins, three losses, and a draw from their last six outings. Their form away from home is better than their home record this season, but they have failed to win any of their last three on the road, casting doubt on their ability to claim full points this weekend.
Team News
Shonan emerged from their cup tie unscathed and could retain the 3-5-2 setup that proved effective against Gifu. Akito Suzuki, who came off the bench to score, is likely to start alongside Luiz Phellype and Sho Fukuda — all three currently top the club’s league scoring charts with three goals apiece. Junnosuke Suzuki remains doubtful after missing the last three games.
For Machida, Shota Fujio and Yuki Soma were both instrumental in the midweek comeback and are expected to feature prominently. Takumi Narasaka could retain his spot in the lineup after completing his return from a long-term injury. Takuma Nishimura, the club’s top scorer with five goals, should return to the starting eleven after a substitute appearance last time out.
Predicted Lineups
Shonan Bellmare:
Sanada; Tachi, Kim, Oiwa; Ishibashi, Fujii, Ricardo, Ikeda; Fukuda, Phellype, Suzuki
Machida Zelvia:
Morita; Mochisuki, Dresevic, Narasaka, Hayashi; Shento, Shiresaki, Tekahashi; Nishimura, Fujio, Soma
Kickoff:
Saturday, June 15 | 11:00 WAT | Lemon Gas Stadium, Hiratsuka
Prediction: Shonan Bellmare 1-1 Machida Zelvia
Both teams are struggling for form and consistency, and while Shonan’s poor home record and Machida’s recent away slump cancel each other out, neither side looks dominant enough to claim all three points. A low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome.