Former manager reunion holds key to Asian glory (Yokohama F. Marinos vs Shanghai SIPG prediction) | OneFootball

Yokohama F. Marinos vs Shanghai SIPG: AFC Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg Preview

Yokohama F. Marinos welcome Shanghai SIPG to Japan with a slender 1-0 advantage as they look to secure passage to the AFC Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night.

First Leg Advantage

Stephen Holland's side grabbed a crucial away goal in China last week when Anderson Lopes struck in the 30th minute, giving the Japanese outfit a significant advantage heading into the second leg. That victory continued Yokohama's impressive record against Shanghai this season, having also defeated them 2-0 in the group stage.

The reunion with former manager Kevin Muscat, who left Yokohama at the end of 2023 to take charge of Shanghai SIPG, has so far gone in favour of his former employers.

Recent Form

Yokohama enter this fixture in somewhat patchy form domestically. Their last five results paint a picture of a side struggling to find consistency:

Just one win in five matches and three consecutive draws in the J1 League suggests Holland's men are still adapting to significant squad changes.

Shanghai SIPG, meanwhile, have shown mixed form:

Their domestic form has been strong with consecutive wins, but they've struggled in continental competition, losing their last three AFC Champions League matches.

Squad Transformations

Both sides have undergone significant overhauls during the transfer window.

Yokohama have lost several key players including Shinnosuke Hatanaka to Cerezo Osaka, Kota Mizunuma to Newcastle Jets for €350,000, and Ryuta Koike to Kashima. Their recruitment has focused on strengthening across all areas with Sandy Walsh from KV Mechelen and Thomas Jok Deng from Albirex Niigata bolstering the defence, while Daiya Tono's arrival from rivals Kawasaki Frontale adds attacking impetus.

Shanghai SIPG have seen even more dramatic changes with the departures of Brazilian star Oscar to São Paulo and Matías Vargas to Al-Fateh representing significant losses of creative talent. Leonardo from Shandong Luneng and Mateus Vital from Cruzeiro have been brought in to fill the creative void, while Gabrielzinho's loan from Moreirense provides additional attacking options.

Tactical Battle

Yokohama typically deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation focused on quick transitions and high pressing. Their last match saw Park Il-Kyu in goal, with a back four of Ken Matsubara, Jeisson Quiñónes, Sandy Walsh and Katsuya Nagato. The midfield pivot of Yan Matheus and Jean Claude Aziangbe provided stability, while Riku Yamane, Daiya Tono and Asahi Uenaka supported lone striker Anderson Lopes.

Shanghai SIPG prefer a possession-based 4-3-3 system. In the first leg, they lined up with Junling Yan between the posts, protected by Shenchao Wang, Tyias Browning, Ang Li and Huan Fu. Tian Ming, Shiyuan Yang and Xin Xu formed the midfield trio, with Mateus Vital, Gustavo and Leonardo leading the attack.

Prediction

The tactical chess match between Holland and former Yokohama boss Muscat adds an intriguing subplot to this encounter. Shanghai must score at least once to have any chance of progression, which could leave them vulnerable to Yokohama's counter-attacking prowess.

Yokohama's home advantage and first-leg cushion give them the edge, though their recent scoring struggles in domestic competition (just two goals in their last four J1 League matches) suggest this won't be a high-scoring affair.

The betting odds favour Yokohama to progress, though Shanghai's need to attack could make for an open and entertaining contest.

Predicted Score: Yokohama F. Marinos 1-0 Shanghai SIPG (2-0 on aggregate)