V-varen Nagasaki vs Ventforet Kofu Match Recap - Oct 18, 2025

V-varen Nagasaki Dominate With 4-0 Statement Over Ventforet Kofu, Tighten Grip on Promotion Race

Before a vibrant crowd at Peace Stadium, V-varen Nagasaki delivered a resounding display of attacking intent and defensive discipline, sweeping aside an outmatched Ventforet Kofu side, 4-0, and marking another significant step in their relentless pursuit of automatic promotion.

Early in the crisp October air, V-varen signaled their intentions. It took just ten minutes for Edigar Junio to leave his mark, darting onto a clever through ball and finishing with the composure that has become his signature this autumn. The Brazilian’s strike—his third in five matches—set the tone for a side that has quietly emerged not just as a contender, but as a team driven by purpose and clarity.

Nagasaki’s opener was soon followed by another moment of incision in the 26th minute, when their relentless pressing forced a turnover and created an opportunity that was ruthlessly dispatched. While official records have yet to assign the goal, the sense of collective effort was unmistakable: the home side’s second strike dismantled Kofu’s shape and forced the visitors onto the defensive for the remainder of the half.

For all their possession, Kofu’s efforts to claw back into the contest unraveled against Nagasaki’s disciplined lines. The visitors, mired in mid-table uncertainty, rarely threatened. The contrast with their nervy 1-0 loss to Jubilo Iwata on October 4 was stark—a team struggling for solutions, unable to recapture the flair they displayed in a dramatic 3-2 comeback win at Iwaki just weeks ago.

If there were any doubts as to the night’s direction, V-varen’s third—bundled home midway through the second half in the 71st minute—erased them. This goal, the product of relentless pressure and clever link-up play on the right, symbolized the cohesion that has driven Nagasaki’s recent surge. Again, the finish was collective—an emblem of a team now unbeaten in five and embarking on the kind of autumn run that so often defines this league’s final months.

And yet, Nagasaki’s appetite for control did not subside. In the closing seconds, with Ventforet Kofu stretched thin and the supporters already in song, Matheus Jesus put the final flourish on a comprehensive evening’s work, lashing a shot from the edge of the area into the far corner as the clock struck ninety. The midfielder, so often the heartbeat of Nagasaki’s engine room, joined Junio in yet another decisive contribution, his tally rising to three goals in the last five matches.

With this latest demolition, V-varen Nagasaki consolidates its stance as a force too consistent to ignore. Now with 59 points from 32 matches—sixteen wins, eleven draws, and only five losses—they remain seated just behind the summit, their grip on second place tightening as the campaign enters its decisive phase. In contrast, Ventforet Kofu’s inability to string together results—just one win and a single draw in their last five—leaves them stranded in twelfth, their tally of 42 points betraying a squad lacking both confidence and momentum.

The recent form lines tell the story in sharper relief. Nagasaki’s October has been marked by assurance: a 2-0 victory at JEF United Chiba, hard-fought draws away and at home, and last-minute heroics against Kataller Toyama and Omiya Ardija. Their defensive solidity—only two goals conceded in the last five matches—has provided a sturdy platform for an attack led by the revitalized Edigar Junio and the ever-present threat of Matheus Jesus.

Ventforet Kofu, by contrast, have stumbled. Despite the individual brilliance of Y. Naito and Y. Torikai, whose late goals salvaged pride in September, Kofu’s defense has proved leaky and listless, conceding at least two goals in three of their last five. Their lone bright spot—a spirited 3-2 win at Iwaki—has been buried beneath a cascade of narrow defeats and squandered opportunities.

Tonight’s meeting was a microcosm of shifting fortunes. When these sides clashed last, the encounter produced goals and drama; history suggests a rivalry with more balance. But at Peace Stadium, the gulf was clear. V-varen Nagasaki, buoyed by their supporters and emboldened by the stakes, controlled the pace and punished every Kofu miscue.

With just a handful of matches remaining, the stakes have never been clearer. For Nagasaki, each performance inches them closer to the summit and the promise of J1 football—a dream chased for seasons, now within reach. For Kofu, the question is existential: find form and finish with dignity, or slip further into the anonymity of mid-table.

As the final whistle rang out and Nagasaki’s players gathered beneath their supporters, the message was unmistakable: this is a team on the rise, determined not to squander their moment. For Ventforet Kofu, the long journey home may be filled with questions, but for Nagasaki, the path ahead gleams with possibility.