Leaders Niigata Host In-Form Miyazaki; Sapporo Chase Seventh Straight Win Against Tosu [Preview: MEIJI YASUDA J2 Matchweek 17]

All 10 Matchweek 17 fixtures in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE will be played on 14 and 15 November.
 
Leaders Niigata host Miyazaki after beating Imabari to record back-to-back wins. Kanji Kuwayama made the most of his starting opportunity in that match and will be hoping to impress again. Miyazaki arrive on a five-match winning streak after beating Tokushima, with Keigo Hashimoto ending a seven-match goal drought in their latest victory. He will be looking to build on that performance.
 
Second-placed Yokohama FC travel to Shonan for the Kanagawa derby. They cruised past Fujieda to make it three wins in a row, with Kota Yamada scoring for the second consecutive match. Shonan drew with Iwata and are now winless in three. With Hisatsugu Ishii and Sena Ishibashi away on U-21 Japan national team duty, their other attacking players will need to step up.
 
Third-placed Toyama welcome Tokushima after edging Tosu to secure their third straight victory. Yoshiki Takahashi has scored in back-to-back matches and will be aiming to extend that run. Tokushima lost to Miyazaki to suffer their third consecutive defeat. Goals remain hard to come by, but Takuya Shigehiro opened his account for the season last time out and will be hoping to provide a spark.
 
Omiya host Yamagata on a three-match winning run after beating Tochigi City. Ota Yamamoto has scored in each of those games and will again be a key attacking threat. Yamagata lost to Iwaki, missing the chance to record a third straight win. Akira Silvano Disaro', who has not scored since Matchweek 4, will be eager to end his goal drought.
 
Fujieda welcome Kofu after defeat to Yokohama FC extended their winless run to 12 matches. Having conceded a season-high four goals, they need a stronger defensive display. Kofu lost to Sendai and are now winless in six. Sitting bottom of the table, they will look to Yamato Naito, who scored their consolation goal, to help turn their fortunes around.
 
Oita host Tochigi City after suffering a 2-1 comeback defeat to Akita. Having taken the lead, they left themselves exposed in the second half and will need to manage games more effectively. Tochigi City have lost four straight and are winless in 11, leaving them 18th in the table. They have conceded three goals in each of their last three matches and failed to score in their last two, highlighting problems at both ends of the pitch.
 
Sapporo welcome Tosu chasing a seventh straight win, having beaten Hachinohe last time out. Their defence has been particularly impressive, with six consecutive clean sheets, but Shota Nishino, one of their back three, is suspended for this fixture. How his replacement performs could prove crucial. Tosu lost 2-1 to Toyama after conceding early and will be determined to make a stronger start.
 
Hachinohe host Iwaki on the back of three consecutive defeats, the latest against Sapporo. Having scored just once in their last four matches, they need more from their attack. Iwaki beat Yamagata 2-0, and the improving Yutaka Michiwaki will be looking to make another decisive contribution.
 
Sendai welcome Akita after a convincing win over Kofu ended their three-match losing streak. Hiroto Iwabuchi scored twice in that victory and could prove influential again. Akita beat Oita to claim their first win in three matches, with a set piece leading to the winner. They will hope to make similar use of those situations here.
 
Imabari host Iwata after defeat to Niigata left them winless in six matches. Goals remain a concern, and Wesley Tanque will be eager to open his account for the season. Iwata drew with Shonan to extend their unbeaten run to seven, although a late equaliser denied them a third straight victory. Seeing out matches more effectively will be a priority.

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