TOKUSHIMA, Japan (Interstat) — Rei Umeki and Edigar Junio scored as Imabari defeated Tokushima 2-1 on Saturday in the season opener for both clubs. Imabari improved to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0 across all competitions, while Tokushima fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 across all competitions. The match turned on Imabari’s ability to score in two different phases, first through Junio in the 30th minute and then through Umeki in the 65th minute. Tokushima answered with a goal from Thonny Anderson in the 69th minute, but the home side could not find an equalizer. The visitors managed the game well after taking the lead, and Tokushima’s late push fell short.

Junio’s opening goal came after a cautious start, with Tokushima’s Kodama S. receiving a yellow card in the 28th minute. Junio finished with one goal while playing 58 minutes, and he was substituted in the 58th minute. Imabari took a one-goal lead into halftime and then doubled it after the break. Umeki’s goal in the 65th minute gave the visitors a cushion, and his statline showed one goal in 44 minutes of action. The second goal changed the match’s complexion, forcing Tokushima to chase the game over the final 25 minutes.

Tokushima responded quickly. Junma Miyazaki provided the assist on Thonny Anderson’s goal in the 69th minute. Miyazaki played the full 90 minutes and recorded the assist. Anderson’s match included a goal and a yellow card in second-half stoppage time. Imabari’s Mori K. was booked in the 75th minute, and the visitors then managed the closing stages with a series of changes. Tokushima’s Anderson was cautioned in the 90+2 minute, capping a physical finish. The booking was Tokushima’s second of the match after Kodama’s earlier caution.

Imabari made substitutions at several points to protect the lead. Mochii K. entered at the 46th minute, while Junio E. and Yamada T. came on in the 58th minute. Komai Y. and Mori K. were introduced in the 77th minute. Tokushima made a change in the 58th minute with Shigehiro T., followed by Takagi Y. in the 69th minute. In the 81st minute, Tokushima used a triple substitution, bringing on Kodama S., Yanagisawa K. and Kajiya Y. The moves gave Tokushima fresh legs, but Imabari’s defense held. Imabari’s bench helped slow the tempo and limit Tokushima’s chances in the final third.

Tokushima will look to rebound in its next 10 matches. The club is set to host Kataller, host Blaublitz, visit Bellmare, visit Tochigi City, host Omiya, host Albirex, visit Tegevajaro, host Montedio, visit Yokohama FC and host Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. The upcoming stretch offers Tokushima a chance to move past the opening defeat. Imabari, meanwhile, will take confidence from a road win that began its competition schedule on a positive note. The result also gave Imabari an early edge in the competition standings, while Tokushima will search for its first win across all competitions.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tokushima 1, Imabari 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tokushima with a 69.1 percent probability to win. The actual result ran counter to those projections as Imabari scored twice and held Tokushima to one goal.