Unbeaten Leaders Omiya Travel to Akita; Niigata Target Fourth Straight Win at Yokohama FC [Preview: MEIJI YASUDA J2 Matchweek 5]

All 10 Matchweek 5 fixtures in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE will be played on 5 and 6 September.

Omiya remain unbeaten after four matches and sit top of the table as they travel to face Akita. They drew with Shonan last time out, missing the chance to make it four wins from four, but showed their resilience by fighting back from two goals down late on. Suphanat Mueanta rescued a point with his first goal since joining the club; can he deliver again? Akita lost to Hachinohe and were unable to make it back-to-back wins. They registered 14 shots but failed to score, so they will need more cutting edge in front of goal.

Yamagata, who have climbed to second, host Kofu after beating Imabari to make it two wins in a row. Their defence has conceded just once in four matches, while Junya Takahashi has scored three goals in his last two. Kofu beat Sapporo to claim their first win of the season. Can Kazushi Fujii, who struck the winner, deliver again?

Third-placed Fujieda host Hachinohe after beating Toyama 3-2. Wigi Kanemoto has scored three goals in four matches and could again be key to their attack. Hachinohe beat Akita to end their two-match losing run. Substitute William Owie scored the winner, his first goal since joining the club; can he make an impact again?

Yokohama FC host Niigata in a meeting between two sides aiming to return to J1. The hosts drew with Tosu last time out and are winless in two. Takuya Shimamura scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser, his second goal of the season. Can he make an impact against his former club Niigata? The visitors beat Iwaki to make it three wins in a row. Kanji Kuwayama and Matheus Moraes both scored after coming off the bench, and how they are used could again be key.

Shonan host Sendai in a meeting between fifth and sixth. Shonan drew with Omiya for their second straight draw and remain unbeaten this season. However, after surrendering a two-goal lead, their game management when ahead will be an area to address. Sendai beat Miyazaki to make it two wins in a row. Motohiko Nakajima scored twice, including his first goal since returning from injury, and could again be key.

Tokushima host Iwaki after beating Oita to claim their first win of the season. Can Yuya Takagi, who struck the winner, deliver again? Iwaki lost to Niigata to suffer their third straight defeat. Having conceded 10 goals in their last three matches, tightening up their defence will be a key priority.

Tosu host Miyazaki after drawing with Yokohama FC and are now winless in three. They have repeatedly taken the lead without going on to win, making their game management when ahead a key issue. Miyazaki lost to Sendai and remain winless after four matches. They have struggled for goals and will be looking for more from Yusei Toshida.

Sapporo host Tochigi SC after losing to Kofu for a third straight defeat. Tatsuya Hasegawa struck the winner against Kagoshima in the Levain Cup in midweek; can he provide the spark in league action too? Tochigi SC lost to Iwata and missed the chance to make it three wins in a row. After conceding twice early on, making a stronger start will be important.

Iwata host Toyama after beating Tochigi City to make it two wins in a row. Iago Teles has scored three goals in his last two matches and will be looking to show his finishing ability again. Toyama lost to Fujieda and were unable to make it three straight wins. Their possession-based attacking approach has shown promise, but tightening up defensively after conceding three goals will be key.

Oita host Imabari after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Tokushima. They have already failed to score in three matches this season, highlighting their lack of cutting edge. Hiroshi Kiyotake has been getting more minutes and could hold the key to improving their attack. Imabari lost to Yamagata to suffer a fourth straight defeat. Tightening up a defence that has conceded 12 goals in four matches is a priority, while they also need more from an attack that has failed to score in their last two.

■Check Out the Key Battles in Each Match
Fujieda vs. Hachinohe
Yamagata vs. Kofu
Shonan vs. Sendai
Tokushima vs. Iwaki
Tosu vs. Miyazaki
Sapporo vs. Tochigi City
Akita vs. Omiya
Yokohama FC vs. Niigata
Iwata vs. Toyama
Oita vs. Imabari