Tokyo Verdy vs JEF United Chiba — Tips & Analysis

Under 2.25: Tokyo Verdy cannot score, and that alone makes this a quiet game. They have managed one goal in their last five league games, losing 0-2 to Vissel Kobe and 0-2 to Kashima, with 0-0 ties at Cerezo and Fagiano. They score under a goal a game. It gets worse for them. Verdy lost defender Miyahara, midfielder Morita and forward Teranuma to injury this week, so an attack that was already stuck now has less to work with. Chiba are a poor team, with three wins, three ties and 13 losses in their last 19 games, and they score just over a goal a game. But they have turned up here in decent shape. They won 2-0 at home to Gamba Osaka in their last league game and have kept clean sheets in their last two. This is 19th against 20th, both on three points from six games. Neither manager can afford to lose it, so expect a careful, nervous afternoon with very little risk taken. A 1-1 is the most likely score, and that is exactly the sort of game we want. Be warned though. Chiba let in 2 goals a game away from home, and their own games have averaged 3 goals in total. The last 20 meetings here averaged almost 3 goals, so a third goal is a live threat. A team that has scored once in five games has to find a spark first, and we do not see it coming.