Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles - Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

The Facts

• A struggling side attempts to pull off an upset against a high-flying opponent (ranked 6th and 1st in the Promotion ~ NPB PlayoffsSemi~finals)).
• In the last 5 head-to-head matches, Tohoku won 4.
• Tohoku has enjoyed a winning run and is in top form (last 5 matches: 5 wins).
• Performances by Fukuoka have been somewhat unpredictable lately (last 5 matches: 3 wins).
• Recently, Fukuoka has had a run of games away from home.
• A closely fought contest is anticipated, with Fukuoka holding a narrow advantage.
• In the last 20 head-to-head meetings, Tohoku has recorded 10 wins, 1 draw, and 9 losses, with a goal aggregate of 60:77 (averaging 3:3.9 goals per game).
• Specifically in home fixtures for Tohoku against this opponent, the record stands at 4 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses, with 27:31 goals (averaging 3.4:3.9 per game).