Unbeaten Leaders Omiya Travel to Fujieda; Tochigi City Host Sendai in Top-Five Clash [Preview: MEIJI YASUDA J2 Matchweek 7]

All 10 Matchweek 7 fixtures in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE will be played from 18 to 20 September.

Unbeaten leaders Omiya travel to Fujieda after being held to a third straight draw by Oita last time out. With Omiya struggling to turn draws into wins, can Kenyu Sugimoto open his account for the season? Fujieda lost to Miyazaki and are now winless in two. Tightening up a defence that conceded a season-high three goals last time out will be a key priority.

Second-placed Niigata host Iwata after beating Yamagata 1-0 last time out. Can Ryosuke Maeda, who struck the winner, deliver again? Iwata edged Kofu 1-0, with Tokumo Kawai coming off the bench to score the winner. He could again prove key this weekend.

Fifth-placed Tochigi City host third-placed Sendai in a standout clash. Tochigi City drew with Toyama last time out, missing the chance to make it two wins in a row. They created chances but lacked a cutting edge and will hope Musashi Suzuki can open his account for the season. Sendai drew with Sapporo, bringing their three-match winning run to an end. Hidetoshi Takeda has scored three goals in his last four matches; can he help Sendai return to winning ways?

Shonan host Akita after edging Hachinohe to claim their first win in four matches. A late winner secured all three points, and they will look to carry that momentum into this match as they target back-to-back victories. Akita beat Tokushima to record their first win in three matches. Can Shota Suzuki, who scored twice in that victory, deliver again?

Hachinohe host Miyazaki in a meeting between two promoted sides. Hachinohe lost to Shonan last time out and are now winless in two. Having failed to score in either match, they will be looking for a response from their attack. Miyazaki came out on top in a five-goal thriller against Fujieda to claim their long-awaited first J2 victory. Mahiro Ano scored twice in that win and could again have a key role to play.

Sapporo host Oita after drawing with Sendai to end a four-match losing run, although they remain winless in five. Shoji Toyama is yet to score since joining the club and will be looking to make his mark. Oita drew with Omiya and are now winless in three. They have looked solid defensively, but goals remain hard to come by. Can Kotaro Arima open his account for the season?

Yamagata host Toyama after losing to Niigata for their second straight defeat. Junya Takahashi leads the scoring charts and will be looking to help his side turn things around. Toyama drew with Tochigi City, missing the chance to make it two wins in a row. Despite registering 27 shots, they failed to score, so improving their finishing will be a key focus.

Yokohama FC host Imabari after losing to Iwaki and missing the chance to make it two wins in a row. Their second-half game management will be an area to address after they showed signs of vulnerability. Imabari beat Tosu to claim their first win of the season. Kota Mori came off the bench to score the winner, and how he is used could again prove key.

Kofu host Tokushima after losing to Iwata, bringing their two-match winning run to an end. How manager Hiroki Shibuya addresses their lack of goals will be key. Tokushima also missed the chance to make it three straight wins as they lost to Akita. Tightening up a defence that conceded four goals will be a priority.

Tosu host Iwaki after a 1-0 defeat to Imabari last time out. A late goal proved costly, and seeing games out will be an area to address. Iwaki, meanwhile, beat Yokohama FC to end a four-match losing run and give Kazuaki Tasaka a winning start as manager. With Yutaka Michiwaki, who has started every league match this season, away with the U-21 Japan National Team, those coming into the side will be eager to make their mark.