Pragmatism versus patience
The clash of Imabari FC’s pragmatic, disciplined game plan and Ventforet Kofu’s patient, possession-based build-up approach should make an intriguing tactical match on Saturday. Our Imabari FC vs Ventforet Kofu prediction highlights the contrast in styles, making this contest particularly difficult to call.
Imabari’s approach, honed by head coach Keiji Kuraishi since he took the reins in February, has been to remain compact, keep things simple and avoid unnecessary risk when defending or transitioning. It’s not the most exciting game to watch, but with Marcus Vinicius up front, a prolific and powerful forward who has notched eight J2 League goals in 20 games this campaign, they have their main weapon.
However, Kuraishi’s side are now winless in five games, following a run of two defeats and three draws which has brought pressure upon him.
A 0-0 away draw with Fujieda MYFC was followed by a home defeat to Mito Hollyhock and a 2-2 stalemate at Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
This Imabari FC vs Ventforet Kofu preview suggests that Imabari’s home record of one win, six draws and four losses in 11 league games isn’t great, and they will need to improve this week.
Kofu can keep it tight
Ventforet Kofu’s form is mixed, with one win, three draws and one defeat from their last five in the league. But Shinji Otsuka’s men have shown plenty of defensive resilience since he arrived at the club, and they are conceding just 0.64 goals per away game on average, which helps them to score 0.73 on the road.
A 1-0 victory at home to Imabari six weeks ago was Kofu’s last win in this fixture, but they have only one draw and a defeat in their two most recent away games. Taiga Son is the team’s best finisher in midfield, with four goals in 18 J2 League appearances in 2025, so he will be key for Kofu to win.
Our Imabari FC vs Ventforet Kofu prediction is influenced by the fact that the bookmakers make Imabari the slight favourites for this game at 2.25, but Kofu are available at 3.60 and a 3.00 stake is an attractive bet on the draw given both teams’ lack of recent wins and how defence has come to the fore in both their setups. The Imabari FC vs Ventforet Kofu odds suggest a tight battle, and Imabari FC vs Ventforet Kofu betting tips favor an under 2.5 goals selection as a strong play, given Imabari’s modest attacking returns at home and Kofu’s cagey approach to their away matches.
