TOKYO (Interstat) — In a match defined more by its physicality than its finishing, Tokyo Verdy and Avispa Fukuoka played to a scoreless draw in J1 League action Saturday at Ajinomoto Stadium.

The result, a defensive stalemate that saw neither side seriously threaten to break the deadlock, leaves both clubs with identical 13-win records as the season nears its conclusion. The match was a rematch of a similarly goalless affair from May 31.

Despite pregame projections from Interstat that favored the home side with a 58.7 percent probability to win and predicted a 1-1 final score, the contest failed to produce any goals. The lack of offensive fireworks underscored a game where midfield battles and disciplinary actions took center stage.

The primary narrative of the match was written in the referee’s notebook, as four yellow cards were issued. The cautions began in the 18th minute to Tokyo Verdy’s Yūta Arai and continued with Avispa Fukuoka’s Kazuki Fujimoto in the 45th minute. The second half saw bookings for Yuan Matsuhashi in the 65th minute and Hiroto Taniguchi in the 78th minute, all for the visiting side.

With the draw, Avispa Fukuoka’s season record in the J1 League moves to 13 wins, 18 losses and 13 draws. Across all competitions, they now hold a record of 20 wins, 20 losses and 15 draws. Their recent form had shown resilience, including a 1-0 victory over Shonan Bellmare in their last outing on Oct. 26.

Tokyo Verdy’s league record now stands at 13 wins, 17 losses and 9 draws. Their overall record across all tournaments is 17 wins, 23 losses and 10 draws. They entered the match looking to rebound from a 1-0 loss to Shimizu S-Pulse on Oct. 25.

Both teams now look ahead to their final fixtures of the campaign. Avispa Fukuoka is scheduled to host Gamba Osaka on Nov. 30 before traveling to face Nagoya Grampus on Dec. 6.

Tokyo Verdy will also be in action on Nov. 30, hosting Kashima Antlers, followed by a road match against Gamba Osaka on Dec. 6.