Match Report
The table gap was wide: 37 points between Tochigi City (1st, 77 pts) and Ryūkyū (16th, 40 pts). Tochigi City had been under-performing their position — 5th on five-round form against 1st in the table. Per game in the league, Ryūkyū were scoring 1.08 and conceding 1.5, Tochigi City 1.82 and 0.97, against a competition average of 1.28 goals per team per game.
Tochigi City carried a 6-game unbeaten run into this, having scored in 6 consecutive games. Over the last five, Ryūkyū had taken 3 of 15 points to Tochigi City's 13.
Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium in Okinawa staged the fixture, a ground that holds 10,189. On the scoreboard, it was 1-1 at the break; 2 second-half goals set the final 2-2.