Niigata Host Leaders Sendai in Promotion Showdown; In-Form Toyama Face Improving Sapporo [Preview: MEIJI YASUDA J2 Matchweek 13]

All 10 Matchweek 13 fixtures in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE will be played on 24 and 25 October.

The standout fixture sees second-placed Niigata host leaders Sendai in a clash that could have a major bearing on the promotion race. Niigata trail Sendai by four points after edging Tosu to claim their first win in three matches. Prolific goalscorer Matheus Moraes will again be central to their hopes of victory. Sendai, meanwhile, remain four points clear at the top after a convincing win over Imabari extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches. Ko Miyazaki opened his account for the season in that victory and will be looking to build on it.

Third-placed Toyama welcome Sapporo after an impressive win over Omiya extended their unbeaten run to eight matches. Kiyoshiro Tsuboi scored his first goal of the season and will be hoping to carry that momentum forward. Sapporo arrive in improving form after beating Yamagata to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Takuma Arano made an impact off the bench and could again have an important role to play.

Fifth-placed Omiya host fourth-placed Yokohama FC after a heavy defeat to Toyama left them with two consecutive losses. Their second-half performance exposed defensive vulnerabilities that they will need to address. Yokohama FC returned to winning ways after three matches with victory over Kofu. Naoya Komazawa scored his first goal of the season and will be hoping to make another contribution.

Fujieda host Tokushima after a late equaliser against Tochigi City extended their winless run to eight matches. They will be hoping that comeback can provide the spark for their first victory in nine games. Tokushima are also struggling, having gone four matches without a win following defeat to Hachinohe. They have failed to score in their last two outings and need a response from their attack.

Akita welcome Imabari after suffering a third straight defeat against Miyazaki. Kaito Umeda pulled a goal back in that match and will be looking to help his side return to winning ways. Imabari's defeat to Sendai was their first in four matches. Having conceded three goals in each of their last two games, tightening up defensively will be a priority.

Yamagata host Miyazaki after defeat to Sapporo extended their winless run to four matches. They have scored just once during that spell and urgently need more cutting edge in attack. Miyazaki, by contrast, are unbeaten in seven after beating Akita, with in-form Koji Okumura continuing to provide a major attacking threat.

Tosu welcome Hachinohe after their defeat to Niigata denied them a third consecutive victory. JFA/J.League Special Designated Player Haruya Goto has scored twice in his last three matches and will be one to watch. Hachinohe ended a three-match winless run by beating Tokushima, with William Owie scoring for the third match in a row. He will be aiming to extend that run and help his side claim another victory.

Oita host Kofu after a draw against Iwata ended their three-match winning streak. They remain unbeaten in eight matches, however, with Shinya Utsumoto maintaining his good form in attack. Kofu have slipped to the bottom of the table after consecutive defeats, most recently against Yokohama FC. Having conceded eight goals across their last two matches, they face an urgent need to tighten up defensively.

Iwaki welcome Iwata after a draw against Shonan denied them a third straight victory. Naoki Kumata has scored in two consecutive matches and will be looking to maintain that form. Iwata played out a second successive draw against Oita. Despite registering 14 shots, they failed to score, highlighting the need to improve their finishing.

Shonan host Tochigi City after a fourth consecutive draw, this time against Iwaki. They continue to struggle to turn draws into wins and will be looking to Hiroto Yamada to make the difference in attack. Tochigi City are winless in seven after drawing with Fujieda. Having conceded a late equaliser in that match, they will need to manage the closing stages more effectively.

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