MATSUYAMA, Japan (Interstat) — Substitute Noah Kenshin Browne delivered a stunning hat trick to power Jubilo Iwata to a season-opening 3-1 victory over Ehime FC on Sunday in a J2 League match that defied pregame projections.

Playing before a crowd at Ningineer Stadium, the visiting Jubilo side overturned an early deficit with three unanswered goals, two of them from the newly introduced Browne, to secure a decisive three points. The result handed Ehime a loss in its first home match of the 2025 campaign.

The match began contrary to the expectations of most analysts. Interstat’s ELO system had given Jubilo Iwata a commanding 70.50 percent probability to win, while its game simulator had predicted a low-scoring 1-1 draw. Ehime, however, seized the early initiative.

The home side’s breakthrough came in the 44th minute, just before halftime. Ehime midfielder Yūtaka Soneda found the back of the net, sending the local supporters into a frenzy and giving his team a surprising 1-0 lead at the intermission.

The momentum of the match shifted dramatically shortly after the restart. Jubilo Iwata, needing a response, found it in the 51st minute through Ryōsuke Maeda. The midfielder leveled the score, calming the visiting squad and setting the stage for a dramatic second-half turnaround.

The match’s pivotal moment arrived in the 68th minute when Ehime’s substitute, Matheus Peixoto, was shown a yellow card. The infraction seemed to disrupt Ehime’s rhythm, and Jubilo Iwata began to press its advantage.

The hero of the day emerged for the visitors in the 76th minute. Managerial changes proved decisive as Jubilo’s substitute, Noah Kenshin Browne, entered the match and made an immediate impact. He scored his first goal of the afternoon to break the deadlock and put Jubilo Iwata ahead 2-1.

Browne was not finished. As the match entered second-half stoppage time, he put the result beyond any doubt. In the 90th+2 minute, he completed his remarkable cameo performance by scoring his third goal, securing his hat trick and finalizing the 3-1 scoreline. All three of Jubilo’s goals were assisted by fellow substitute Matheus Peixoto, who recorded a hat trick of assists to complement Browne’s goal-scoring feat.

The comprehensive nature of the victory was underscored by the performance of Jubilo’s midfield. Alongside Maeda’s equalizing goal, Yūtaka Soneda was a constant creative force for the winning side, while Ehime’s lone consolation came from a first-half goal by Ikki Kawasaki.

With the victory, Jubilo Iwata begins its J2 League season with a record of one win and zero losses. Ehime starts its season with zero wins and one loss. Both teams’ records across all competitions now mirror their league standings. The match served as a statement win for Jubilo Iwata, demonstrating a potent offensive capability that exceeded statistical forecasts and silenced the home crowd.