A solitary second-half strike from Masato Yuzawa proved decisive as Avispa Fukuoka edged Yokohama FC 1-0 in a tense encounter at Best Denki Stadium, snapping a worrying five-match losing skid and taking a crucial step towards J1 League safety. In a contest that echoed the anxiety of the season’s twilight, both teams arrived desperate—Avispa seeking to halt their slide, Yokohama FC fighting to claw off the foot of the table.

After a balanced first half, the breakthrough arrived just six minutes after the interval. It was a moment of incisive quality amid a cagey midfield tussle: Avispa’s Shintaro Nago cleverly drifted into a pocket of space and slid a weighted through ball to Yuzawa on the right. The midfielder timed his run to perfection, took a calm touch, and rifled a low finish past a sprawling Jakub Słowik, giving the home crowd rare cause for celebration.

The goal galvanized Fukuoka, who enjoyed 52% possession and launched 18 shots, threatening to double their lead through Wellington and Tomoya Miki, though Słowik stood tall with three vital saves. Yet for all Fukuoka’s control, Yokohama FC were never out of the contest. João Paulo, Adailton, and Lukian tried to spark a late rally; João Paulo earned the only yellow card of the afternoon after a frustrated challenge in the 60th minute—a symbol of Yokohama’s mounting desperation.

Manager Myung Hwi Kim’s men looked to manage the closing stages with a series of late substitutions, including the introduction of Sonosuke Sato and Yu Hashimoto, to shore up their lead. The visitors, meanwhile, found themselves frustrated by Fukuoka’s disciplined back line and their own lack of cutting edge: just 3 of 9 efforts tested keeper Yuma Obata. Yokohama’s statistical output—48% possession, 308 passes at 68% accuracy, and five corners—told a story of flashes, not fluency, and left them with little to show in attack.

The final whistle brought relief for Avispa Fukuoka and renewed concern for Yokohama FC, whose fight for survival grows steeper after another point-less outing. With only one match remaining, Fukuoka’s win pushes them a step closer to solidifying their J1 status, while Yokohama remain rooted to the bottom, their fate now hanging by a thread.

Key moments from this match and full highlights are available in the official J.League recap video on the league’s widely followed YouTube channel (over 2 million subscribers), ensuring fans can relive Yuzawa’s crucial goal and the drama at Best Denki Stadium.