Albirex Niigata vs Cerezo Osaka - 07/04/24 | Fast live stats

Albirex Niigata vs Cerezo Osaka Prediction & Preview

Preview

This Sunday, the 7th round of the Japan J-League promises an intriguing clash as Albirex Niigata welcomes Cerezo Osaka to Denka Big Swan Stadium. With both teams having met five times in recent history, their encounters have been closely contested - each claiming two victories alongside a single draw. The last face-off at this venue on March 12, 2023, saw Albirex Niigata edge out Cerezo Osaka with a narrow 1-0 victory.

Albirex Niigata, under the guidance of coach Rikizo Matsuhashi, finds themselves in 11th position with a modest tally of eight points. Their form has been mixed recently; one win, two losses and two draws reflect a side struggling for consistency. Their recent outing was less than favorable as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat away at Júbilo Iwata.

On the other hand, Cerezo Osaka led by Akio Kogiku are flying high in third place boasting twelve points. Unbeaten in their last five matches with three wins and two draws including an impressive eleven points haul from those games shows they're in fine form coming into this match. Their latest game ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Kashiwa Reysol away from home.

Looking at goal averages provides further insight into what might be expected; Albirex Niigata scores at an average of 0.8 goals per game but tightens up defensively at home conceding just an average of 0.25 goals per game on their turf this season so far. Conversely, Cerezo Osaka manages slightly better offensively with an average goal score of one per game but tends to concede more frequently especially when playing away.

Bet

Considering both team's current form and performance metrics alongside betting odds provided for this matchup makes it quite interesting from a betting perspective. Cerezo Osaka emerges as slight favorites according to odds (2.62) against Albirex Niigata’s (2.8), reflecting their better league position and current unbeaten streak. Given that both teams exhibit stronger defensive records than offensive prowess - particularly when considering the venue advantage for Albirex Niigata which bolsters their defense even further - expecting a low-scoring affair seems reasonable. Therefore, taking into account these factors along with the competitive nature of past encounters between these sides suggests that 'Under 2.5 goals' bet is compelling here given its value (odds:1 .61) reflecting higher probability for such outcome amidst tight defenses on display.