NUMAZU, Japan (Interstat) — Imabari took control early and never looked back, defeating Azul Claro Numazu 3-1 on Saturday at Shizuoka Ashitaka Athletic Stadium in a J3 League match.

Imabari struck just one minute into the game when János Hahn found the net. The substitute attacker’s goal set the tone for a dominant first half. Gergő Gyurkits, also a substitute, doubled the lead in the 17th minute with a finish that beat the Azul Claro Numazu goalkeeper. Hahn struck again in the 31st minute, completing his brace and giving Imabari a three-goal cushion at halftime.

Kanta Chiba, an attacker from Shizuoka, pulled one back for Azul Claro Numazu in the 72nd minute, but Imabari’s defense held firm through the final whistle. Chiba, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 163 pounds, scored his first goal of the season in the loss.

The three Imabari goals were set up by a series of assists from the defensive and substitute ranks. Bálint Kiss, a defender, recorded one assist. Márk Tamás, also a defender, added another. Barna Tóth, a substitute, contributed the third assist. The three assists helped Imabari capitalize on its early offensive pressure.

The match featured a flurry of yellow cards. Imabari’s Bálint Kiss was booked in the fifth minute. Azul Claro Numazu’s Gergő Holdampf received a yellow in the 30th minute. Imabari’s Márk Tamás was cautioned in the 61st minute, followed by Barna Tóth in the 63rd. Wataru Noguchi of Imabari was shown a yellow in the 84th minute. Tatsuya Anzai of Azul Claro Numazu was booked in the second minute of stoppage time.

The victory improved Imabari’s season record across all competitions to 1 win, 3 losses and 1 draw. In J3 League play, Imabari is now 1-3-1. Azul Claro Numazu’s overall record dropped to 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, the same mark it holds in league competition.

Imabari entered the match after a 3-1 loss to YSCC on May 1. Before that, it played to a 0-0 draw at Vanraure Hachinohe on Oct. 5, 2025, and fell 4-3 at home to Matsumoto Yamaga on Sept. 14, 2025. Azul Claro Numazu came in off a 2-1 win at Iwaki on April 25. It had previously defeated Iwaki 2-1 at home on Sept. 7, 2025.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Azul Claro Numazu 1, Imabari 1. Interstat’s ELO system gave Imabari a 53.90 percent probability to win the match.