In the J2 League game on 22 August 2026, Montedio Yamagata beat Yokohama FC 2:0. Match numbers: shots on target 6:2, corners 6:5.
Match report
Montedio Yamagata held on for a 2-0 victory over Yokohama in the third round of J-League 2 on Saturday. The hosts took the lead through K. Enomoto in the 80th minute before J. Takahashi added a second eight minutes later, sealing three points at home.
And here's the thing about this match — Yokohama had 61 per cent of the ball but could only manage two shots on target. Montedio Yamagata, with 39 per cent possession, produced six and scored twice. It's a pattern I've seen before where the visitors think they're in control until the home side finds the space to punish them from a corner.
Joao Paulo picked up a yellow card for Yokohama in the 86th minute, a late intervention that changed little. The game had been settled by then, with both sets of substitutes already on the pitch replacing players who had done their work.
Match statistics:
Yamagata: 81 attacks, 6 shots on target, 10 off target, 6 corners
Yokohama: 97 attacks, 2 shots on target, 11 off target, 5 corners
The figures tell the story without much embellishment. Yokohama created more attacks but couldn't find the back of the net, while Montedio Yamagata were ruthless when it mattered. It's not often you see a team win with less than 40 per cent possession, but the old head settled them down when the pressure came.
After the match, the table reflected the result. Montedio Yamagata sit second with nine points from four games, while Yokohama remain eighth with seven. The hosts have not won since their last defeat in the opening round, and this performance tightened things up considerably.
Prepared from match data
Key numbers
Possession, %39–61
Shots on target6–2
Shots off target10–11
Attacks81–97
HT⇄63' T. Murata — Substitution⇄63' A. S. Disaro — Substitution⇄75' R. Kawana — Substitution⇄75' R. Kida — Substitution⇄76' Lukian — Substitution⇄76' A. Yokoyama — Substitution⇄76' R. Kawana — Substitution⇄76' R. Kida — Substitution⚽80' K. Enomoto — Goal⇄83' K. Okamoto — Substitution⇄84' M. Ito — Substitution⇄85' M. Ito — Substitution⇄85' L. Takae — Substitution🟨86' Joao Paulo — Yellow card⚽88' J. Takahashi — Goal
