Yokohama FC vs Nagoya Grampus Match Recap - Oct 18, 2025

Last-Gasp Drama at Mitsuzawa: Ito’s Stoppage-Time Strike Salvages Yokohama FC’s Survival Hopes in 2-2 Draw with Nagoya Grampus

Under the pale autumn sky at MNHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium, Yokohama FC staged a furious finale, clawing back a crucial point against Nagoya Grampus in a frenetic encounter that ended 2-2—a result that both mirrored the uncertainty of their campaigns and kept the relegation battle simmering with only a handful of fixtures remaining.

With their season teetering on a knife’s edge, Yokohama FC entered the afternoon in 18th place, eight points adrift of Nagoya Grampus in 15th, and with recent form offering little comfort. Four defeats in their last five matches had sapped confidence, yet the hosts found early purpose, pressing with energy and intent. In the 20th minute, it was Solomon Sakuragawa who ignited the home crowd, leaping highest at the near post to flick a corner past Nagoya’s scrambling defense and give Yokohama a precious lead—his first goal of the campaign, and a moment that promised optimism for a side desperate to escape the drop.

For much of the first half, Nagoya struggled to find rhythm. Recent results—four wins and just a single defeat in their previous five—suggested a team trending upward, yet the visitors appeared flat, unable to unlock Yokohama’s determined shape. Sho Inagaki, whose midfield presence has been central to Grampus’s resurgence, was penned back by Yokohama’s compact lines, and chances fell infrequently as both teams wrestled for control.

However, the narrative began to shift after the break. Nagoya, sensing urgency, pressed higher and began to carve open spaces. Their pressure paid off in the 71st minute when a sharp counter saw Yota Sato tripped in the area—a penalty given after heated protests from the Yokohama backline. Inagaki, the reliable heartbeat of Grampus, made no mistake, coolly sending the keeper the wrong way for his fourth goal of the season and drawing the sides level.

Momentum had swung. Just nine minutes later, Nagoya capitalized on wavering Yokohama nerves. A sweeping move down the right led to Rui Sugimoto’s cutback, which Sato finished with precision at the near post—his third goal in five matches and a moment that seemed to all but seal the hosts’ fate. For Yokohama, whose season has been defined by late collapses and missed chances, the script felt painfully familiar.

Yet, the Blue Tigers refused to bow. With stoppage time closing, the stadium pulsed with urgency. Yokohama surged forward with one final attack. In the 90th minute, substitute Makito Ito found himself at the end of a loose ball following a frenzied scramble in front of goal. His low drive, threaded through a sea of defenders, nestled in the bottom corner—delivering a cathartic equalizer that sent the home fans into delirium. Ito’s strike—his first since September—may prove the most vital of Yokohama’s campaign.

The result does little to shift the landscape in the lower reaches of the J1 League, but it injects fresh uncertainty into the fight for survival. Yokohama, now with 31 points from 33 matches (8W-7D-18L), remain locked in 18th and in the relegation zone, but the resilience displayed tonight—scoring twice against a Nagoya side that has lost only once in five—will offer hope as the season’s curtain draws near. Grampus, sitting fifteen with 39 points (10W-9D-14L), are not yet safe, their defensive frailties exposed once more despite flashes of attacking quality.

This fixture has rarely lacked drama. In head-to-head history, Nagoya has held the advantage, unbeaten in the last three meetings and winning the last encounter 2-1 at Toyota Stadium, while the past seven have produced three wins apiece and two draws. Tonight’s frantic finish only fuels this tradition of parity and unpredictability.

Both teams will now look anxiously at the table. For Yokohama, the draw breaks a run of three straight defeats in all competitions, and while their attack continues to struggle—averaging just 0.7 goals per game across the last ten—Sakuragawa and Ito’s contributions suggest a team rediscovering its fight just when it matters most. Nagoya’s own form is patchwork; their attack, buoyed by Sato and Inagaki, is offset by defensive lapses that have seen them concede 1.8 goals per match in recent weeks.

No cards marred the contest, but tempers flared in pivotal moments—most notably during the penalty decision and Yokohama’s desperate final push. As the season enters its decisive phase, both clubs are left with high stakes: survival, pride, and the promise of one more chapter in a rivalry that, tonight, delivered in full measure. The road ahead is perilous, and only those who discover new reserves of grit will keep their J1 dreams alive.