Stadium: Noevir Stadium, Misaki Park.
Time: 02.07.2025. 13:00
Prediction for the J1 League game between Vissel Kobe and Sanfrecce Hiroshima Match July 2 2025. The dire need for table ascension dawns on both teams with the fleeting remains of the season pushing Takayuki Yoshida (Vissel Kobe) and Michael Skibbe (Sanfrecce) to prove tactical supremacy.
A preview of the game team statistics, emerging lineup, and several betting options are available below.
Vissel Kobe: Form and Statistics
Last Five Matches: LWWWD
Deservedly in fourth place, Me-Ushi The Cows of Vissel Kobe slow rise to the fourth place has been the talk of the league. Last week’s contest against the Fukuoka Hornets didn’t go as planned for Coach Yoshida, who expected a breeze win despite playing under strange clouds. The match which concluded on a nil-nil note gave only one point, which slowed their race towards the third spot.
Like other members of the top spot chasers, Vissel Kobe has taken eleven wins, eight stalemates and three losses. The last three league games at the Misaki Park produced two wins and one loss, with the team scoring in every game.
Vissel Kobe: Lineup
Team: Vissel Kobe played the conventional 4-3-3 formation against their last opponents Avispa Fukuoka, who troubled their defenses with close calls and near-misses. The defenses did their jobs excellently but the midfielders were unable to contain the opposition, who fielded a total of six players. Collective efforts saw the game shift from an attack to an all-defense, and while victory eluded them, they managed to share spoils, thanks to the quick thinking of the Sakai, who left the flank and joined the centre backs.
Players: Gotoku Sakai is our favored player for the Vissel Kobe squad, with his contribution last week helping to keep his team in the game repeatedly. More is expected from him today, as they face a very solid opponent who will ask more questions defensively than their previous challengers.
Lino took a blow in the leg and was subbed off for Erik, who will replace him in the frontlines.
Predicted Lineup (4-3-3): Maekawa, Nagato-Thuler-Yamakawa-Sakai, Miyashiro-Ogihara-Ideguchi, Hirose-Sasaki-Erik
Head Coach: Michael Skibbe
Out: None
Sanfrecce Hiroshima: Form and Statistics
Last Five Matches: WLDWL
The Hiroshima visitors fell for the brash 2-1 treatment against Nagoya Grampus, in one of the most unprecedented games last week. The expectation for victory was high, and the overconfident fans stayed behind to taunt the players for dashing their hopes in what looked to be a give-away game, pre-match.
Hiroshima has solid ratings on visitations, with three wins and a stalemate in four recent away games, from which they have all scored.
Away from home, they have been decent in the last four matches, which has produced an unbeaten streak - spurring confidence in the traveling fans, who pack themselves with expectation of victory as they did the last time, in February.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima: Lineup
Team: Sanfrecce Hiroshima is expected to get back to good graces after the fall against Nagoya Grampus. However the sudden transfer market balance shift in team dynamics is a concern for both management and squad , with loan players returning to their parent squads.
Players: Osaka Iyoha, who was on loan from RB Leipzig recently returned after fulfilling his term. Goro Kwawanami has also returned to Fagiano Okayama, following his dry loan spell. The loss to Nagoya Grampus was reported (by the captain) to be due to sudden change in team’s dynamics, which is expected to be stabilized as soon as possible.
Fans are still patient with Kosuke Kinoshita, who recently joined the club from Kashiwa Reysol. His performance last week was below par, considering the amount of hype that came with him. He has a few more games to prove himself before he takes the back seat for whoever steps up ahead of him for the number 9 spot.
Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1): Osako, Nakano-Araki-Sasaki, Arai-Higashi-Kawabe-Nakamura, Kato-Germain, Kinoshita.
Head Coach: Michael Skibbe
Out: Nil
More Football Predictions
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima Head-to-Head Statistics
Vissel Kobe has taken three wins and four stalemates in the last ten meetings against Hiroshima, who in turn, has followed with four winnings.
Manager-wise, Michael Skibbe (Hiroshima) leads Takayuki Yoshida (Vissel Kobe) 4-1-3 in eight direct meetings.
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima Betting Trends
- Vissel Kobe has scored at least one goal in the last nine league games. Bet on the hosts to score at least one goal from at 1.31 odds with 1xbet;
- The Under 3.5 goal option has played out in the last four home games .You can pick this choice at 1.22 odds from Betway;
- Vissel has not lost at home against Sanfrecce Hiroshima since 2021. Bet on the Home/Away pick at 1.36 odds from Bet365;
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima have scored at least one goal in their last three away matches. Pick the Away over 0.5 choice at 1.41 odds from 1xbet
Vissel Kobe vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima Match Prediction 02 July 2025
Compared to the Hiroshima guests, Vissel Kobe has more goals on their tag, but for almost every time they score, they concede - which is a growing concern. Hiroshima’s statistics focuses on their defenses, with the unique tag of the most defensive team in the league this season blurring the chances of a clear prediction of victory for either side.
We know both sides are defensively sound, and as such we do not expect a wide marginal difference in goal scoring.
Below are my best predictions:
- My prediction is for Under 2.5 goals, since I’m banking on defence brutality from the two sides. This choice is for 1.65 odds from bet365;
- Michael Skibbe will contend from start to finish with his conservativeness, which will be pounded upon by the diamond pronged attack style of the hosts. A halftime draw, which 1xbet takes at a coefficient of 2.02 odds looks decent enough;
- Lastly, I will pick a probable win for Vissel Kobe, as I do not clearly see victory for Sanfrecce, whilst at home to thirteenth-place Nagoya Grampus. The Betway bookmaker tips this choice at 2.42 odds.
Other predictions
