Kashima Antlers will attempt to extend their unbeaten run to nine J1 League matches when they play host to Shonan Bellmare on Sunday.
While the hosts are enjoying a positive spell of form, Shonan Bellmare head into the weekend off the back of a nine-game winless league run.
Match preview
After losing five of their opening eight games of the J1 League season, Kashima Antlers have experienced an upturn in fortunes in recent weeks.
They managed to put together an impressive run of five consecutive victories before going on to play out three straight draws.
Although they have had to settle for a point in each of their last three league games, Kashima picked up a win in the Emperor's Cup on Wednesday.
Goals from Kim Min-tae, Arthur Calke and Itsuki Someno guided Kashima to a comfortable 3-0 win over fourth-tier outfit Honda FC.
As they turn their attention back to league matters, Kashima will look to make full use of home advantage, having won their last six home meetings with Shonan Bellmare.
The visitors, meanwhile, are languishing in 16th position after picking up just 12 points from their 15 league matches.
They have recorded two victories in the top flight this season, and the most recent of those two wins took place against Gamba Osaka on April 1.
Since claiming a 4-1 victory over Gamba Osaka, Shonan Bellmare have picked up just four points in a nine-game winless league run.
Shonan Bellmare took a momentary pause from their J1 League campaign in midweek to face BTOP Hokkaido in the Emperor's Cup, and they made light work of their fifth-tier opponents to claim a commanding 6-1 victory.
As the only side yet to keep a clean sheet in the top flight this term, Shonan Bellmare will be looking to produce a strong defensive display as they attempt to end their long wait for three points.
Team News
Kashima's Kei Chinen has missed the last four matches with an injury issue, and he remains unavailable for Sunday's contest.
After making wholesale changes for the midweek cup win, Daiki Iwamasa could be tempted to name the same lineup that started last weekend's goalless draw against Urawa Diamonds.
Having scored eight goals in the J1 League this season, Yuma Suzuki will look to add to his tally when he features up front alongside Yuki Kakita.
As for the visitors, they are still unable to call upon the services of Naoki Yamada, Shuto Yamamoto and Masaki Ikeda.
There are also doubts over the availability of midfielder Taiyo Hiraoka, who has missed the club's last three matches with an injury problem.
Akito Suzuki has had to settle for a place on the bench for Shonan Bellmare's last two league games, but after scoring a hat-trick in the midweek cup win, he could be rewarded with a place in Sunday's starting lineup.
Kashima Antlers possible starting lineup:
Hayakawa; Hirose, Ueda, Sekigawa, Anzai; Higuchi, Sano, Pituca, Nago; Kakita, Suzuki
Shonan Bellmare possible starting lineup:
Song; Takahashi, Oiwa, Sugioka; Ishihara, Onose, Okuno, Elyounoussi, Hata; Machino, Wakatsuki
We say: Kashima Antlers 2-1 Shonan Bellmare
Kashima has won four of their last five competitive home games, and we think that they will claim all three points against a Shonan Bellmare side that have lost three consecutive away matches in all competitions.
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