Saitama Seibu Lions - Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters

The Facts

• Series tied 1-1. Third leg.
• A direct battle for position between neighbouring teams in the table (ranked 2nd in the Promotion - NPB Playoffs - Quarter - finals and 3rd in the Promotion - NPB Playoffs - Quarter - finals).
• In the last 5 head-to-head matches, Saitama won 1.
• Saitama is in solid form heading into this fixture (last 5 matches: 4 wins).
• Performances by Hokkaido have been somewhat unpredictable lately (last 5 matches: 3 wins).
• Saitama may face physical fatigue compared to their opponent, having played more matches in recent days.
• Recently, Hokkaido has had a run of games away from home.
• The probabilities of winning are closely matched between the two contenders.
• In the last 20 head-to-head meetings, Saitama has recorded 9 wins, 1 draw, and 10 losses, with a goal aggregate of 57:78 (averaging 2.9:3.9 goals per game).
• Specifically in home fixtures for Saitama against this opponent, the record stands at 4 wins, 1 draw, and 6 losses, with 24:49 goals (averaging 2.2:4.5 per game).