Miguel's 85th minute magic ends Hiroshima's goal drought nightmare (Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Albirex Niigata analysis) | OneFootball

Niigata End Hiroshima's Resistance with Late Miguel Strike

Sanfrecce's Struggles Continue as Albirex Claim Crucial Away Win

Albirex Niigata secured a valuable 1-0 away victory against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima on Tuesday, extending the hosts' miserable run to four consecutive defeats.

Substitute Miguel Silveira proved the difference-maker, netting the decisive goal in the 85th minute after being teed up by fellow substitute Motoki Hasegawa. The Brazilian's first goal since joining from FC Sochi in January couldn't have come at a better time for Daisuke Kimori's side.

The victory lifts Albirex out of the relegation zone, ending their own four-match winless streak in the process, while Hiroshima's concerning form continues with the team now failing to score in four consecutive matches.

Tactical Battle

Sanfrecce, operating without manager Michael Skibbe on the touchline as he served the second match of a two-game ban for criticising officials, dominated possession and created more chances. The hosts registered 14 shots to Niigata's nine but lacked the cutting edge to convert their opportunities.

Assistant coach Fumiya Sakai oversaw proceedings from the dugout as Hiroshima deployed their customary 3-4-1-2 formation, with January arrivals Daiki Suga, Satoshi Tanaka, Shion Inoue and Ryo Germain all featuring from the start.

Suga was particularly influential, delivering four key passes and contributing defensively with four tackles, while centre-back Sho Sasaki impressed by winning nine of his 12 duels.

Albirex's 4-4-2 system proved resilient, with defender Hayato Inamura delivering a standout performance. The 27-year-old completed 68 of 75 passes, made six tackles, two blocks, two interceptions and remarkably won 14 of 15 duels contested.

Late Drama

As the match appeared to be heading for a stalemate, Kimori's substitutions paid dividends. Miguel, introduced from the bench, maintained perfect passing accuracy and provided the clinical finish that had eluded both sides for most of the encounter.

Goalkeeper Daisuke Yoshimitsu ensured Niigata preserved their advantage with three crucial saves to record a clean sheet, while the visitors' defensive discipline limited Hiroshima to just three shots on target despite their territorial advantage.

The statistics tell the story of a closely contested affair: Hiroshima edged possession with 51%, both teams maintained similar passing accuracy (81% vs 80%), while the hosts earned more corners (5-2) but committed more fouls (12-8).

Looking Ahead

For Sanfrecce, this defeat marks their first four-game losing streak in six years, dating back to 2019. The pressure continues to mount as they prepare to welcome Avispa Fukuoka in their next fixture, desperately seeking to rediscover their scoring touch.

Albirex will look to build on this momentum when they host FC Tokyo, with Miguel's timely contribution potentially signalling his growing importance to the team following January's significant squad overhaul.