This Sunday at 5 AM GMT, the iconic Japan National Stadium will host the highly anticipated match between Tokyo Verdy and the newly promoted Shimizu S-Pulse in matchday 1. Led by coach Hiroshi Jofuku, Tokyo Verdy will be looking forward to doing better than the 6th position they reached in the last campaign. On the other hand, Tadahiro Akiba and his boys will aim to avoid relegation, and why not aim for a top 4 finish? They had a brilliant J2 League campaign and are seen by analysts as a force to be reckoned with in this 2025 J1 League season. Let’s now look at some key statistics to find a reasonable bet for this encounter.
Tokyo Verdy – The Favorite
Although the match won’t be played at the Ajinomoto Stadium ChĹŤfu, Tokyo (their home turf), the fact remains that it will be played in Tokyo where their fanbase is situated, thus Shimizu S-Pulse will still feel like they’re on a strange land. Last season, Tokyo Verdy proved to be a very difficult side to play when on their home turf. In fact, if not for the numerous poor matches played away from home, they could have easily ended in the top 4 spots, earning a position in the prestigious Qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite League Stage.Â
Not very active in pre-season, Tokyo Verdy comes to this fixture with virtually the same team that ended the previous season. With no major addition to the squad, we can only assume the management has full confidence in the coach’s ability to qualify the club for the Asian Champions League and it all starts by overcoming Shimizu S-Pulse on matchday 1.
As earlier mentioned, they finished at the 6th spot, earning 56 points. Their defense wasn’t very solid, as they conceded 51 goals (the worst of the top 6 spots, thus justifying their final position on the table).
Shimizu S-Pulse – The Newcomer
Being a newly promoted side to any top-tier league is often seen as a sign of weakness! Shimizu S-Pulse however is here to change that rhetoric. They won the Japanese J2 League in great style with a 6-point margin between them and the runners-up. They obtained 82 points, with 26 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses, scoring 68 goals and conceding 38.
Shimizu finished the season in grand style, winning all 4 of their last encounters (3-0 against Sagamihara in friendlies, 1-0 against Tochigi, 1-0 against Iwaki, and 1-0 against Roasso Kumamoto in J2L respectively). They will be looking forward to taking off right from where they left last season.
What’s My Prediction for this match?
The last time both faced off was in 2023, when they were bitter rivals, Tokyo Verdy was 3rd and Shimizu S-Pulse 4th; Tokyo Verdy won the promotion play-offs and gained their ticket to the J1 League and have never looked back since. That year, they faced each other 3 times; Shimizu S-Pulse won twice (at home 2-1, away 1-0) and 1 match ended in a 1-1 tie.
For this upcoming encounter, I highly anticipate a closed game with few clearcut chances. Thus, I’m betting on a draw at an odd of 3.36. You still don’t have an account yet? What are you waiting for? Register on Game2Bet to secure great odds and betting limits on all J1 League matches. Plus, you can also bet on all other major sports with high odds and limits.Â
