Bristol City

Yu Hirakawa

A quick, direct forward who thinks about the cross before he thinks about the shot, arriving from the flank with real pace and an instinct for picking out a teammate. He was named among his own league's best players before he had even left Japan.
Japan Bristol City MID
Appearances
13
Goals
1

Season Snapshot

Minutes played
770
59.23 per match
Assists
0
Key passes
9
Pass accuracy
75%

Season Stats

Appearances
13
Minutes played
770
Goals
1
Assists
0
Key passes
9
Accuracy
75%

League Rankings

Among EFL Championship 2026/27 midfielders

Assists
78th of 78
Key passes
52nd of 169
Pass accuracy
114th of 167
Goals
68th of 81
👻 Ghost Players #72 of 484
👑 Assist Kings #144 of 480
😈 Bad Boys #189 of 507
💪 Workhorses #280 of 484
🎯 Pass Master #291 of 583
img EFL
BRC
BRC
12:30
Sat 7 Nov
NOR
NOR
img EFL
MID
MID
15:00
Sat 21 Nov
BRC
BRC
img EFL
BRC
BRC
19:45
Tue 24 Nov
WRE
WRE
img EFL
WBA
WBA
15:00
Sat 28 Nov
BRC
BRC
img EFL
BRC
BRC
12:30
Sat 5 Dec
SWA
SWA

Yu Hirakawa, The Forward Who Reads The Cross

A Japanese international forward whose delivery from wide areas has already produced a genuinely decisive moment abroad.

Hirakawa built his reputation in Japan playing a direct, wide style, taking defenders on and getting to the byline rather than cutting inside to shoot early. He was named his league's player of the month during his breakthrough season, recognition that persuaded a Championship club to take a chance on him. A deflected cross of his has already proved decisive at a crucial moment on loan, the sort of contribution that rarely makes a highlight reel.

The tension with any forward moving from Japanese football to England is physical, whether the pace that worked in one league survives the extra contact of another. Hirakawa answers part of that question simply by being quick enough to get away before a challenge lands. Watch whether he keeps hugging the touchline or drifts inside once defenders learn to show him down the line.

The Rest Of The Squad

31 players

Goalkeepers

1
Sam Tickle
Wigan Athletic · Age 24
11 apps
40
Bradley Collins
Burton Albion · Age 29
3 apps
32
Lewis Thomas
Age 29
0 apps

Defenders

21
Rio Cardines
Crystal Palace · Age 20
14 apps 6a
3
Cameron Pring
Age 28
12 apps 1a
19
George Tanner
Age 26
12 apps
2
Lisav Eissat
Age 21
12 apps 1g
5
Rob Atkinson
Age 28
7 apps
16
Rob Dickie
Age 30
7 apps 1g
15
Luke McNally
Age 27
5 apps
38
Noah Eile
Age 24
3 apps
31
Elijah Morrison
Forest Green Rovers · Age 20
0 apps
30
Marley Thelwell
Age 18
0 apps
—
Tomos Gibbs
Age 18
0 apps

Midfielders

12
Jason Knight
Age 25
14 apps 1g 1a
17
Jed Wallace
West Bromwich Albion · Age 32
13 apps 2a
10
Scott Twine
Age 27
11 apps 5g
8
Joe Williams
Age 29
10 apps
20
Sam Greenwood
Age 24
10 apps
27
Gibson Yah
Age 23
9 apps
4
Adam Randell
Age 26
7 apps
6
Brian De Keersmaecker
Oxford United · Age 26
5 apps
14
Tomi Horvat
Age 27
5 apps
42
Daniel Ezendu
Age 17
0 apps
29
Leo Pecover
Weston-super-Mare · Age 18
0 apps
—
Louie Derrick
Age 18
0 apps
—
Rhys Knight
Age 19
0 apps

Forwards

23
Dom Ballard
Leyton Orient · Age 21
14 apps 4g
9
Lorent Tolaj
Plymouth Argyle · Age 25
11 apps 2g 1a
11
Sam Bell
Age 24
7 apps 1g
45
Elijah Adebayo
Luton Town · Age 28
6 apps
View all posts
Tom Davis • October 1st, 2026

Clean sheets in the Premier League and Championship

Five Premier League keepers have three clean sheets from five games, but Konstantinos Tzolakis has made the most saves of the group. In the Championship, George Wickens has matched Lawrence Vigouroux's four clean sheets while facing far more shots.
Tom Davis • September 30th, 2026

Eight Championship players are one yellow card from a ban

Eight Championship players are one yellow card away from a one-match ban. Card rates show who might be missing, and QPR should line up cover for Jake Clarke-Salter now.
Tom Davis • September 29th, 2026

Five Premier League games in and some players are already halfway to a ban

Matt Crooks has three yellows from three games for Hull. Our Most Cards and Bad Boys boards show who is closest to a Premier League ban after five matches.
Bingo • Tom Davis • September 4th, 2026

Match Bingo Game Modes Explained

There are three game types on Match Bingo and they behave less alike than they sound. Live Games follow a real fixture as it's played. Bingoals swaps the fifteen events for fifteen teams and needs every one of them to score. Quick Games run every few minutes on football from last season, so there's nothing to wait for.
Football News • Tom Davis • September 1st, 2026

Does a New Signing Change Anything on Your Match Bingo Card?

Deadline day comes and goes and your card stays exactly as it was. Match Bingo cards are built from things that happen in a match, goals and corners and fouls, rather than from the players who make them happen. No name on a teamsheet reaches a single square. Here's what a signing does change, and what it doesn't.
Bingo • Tom Davis • August 31st, 2026

Is Match Bingo Safe? Licensing, Fair Play and Player Protection

Two things usually sit behind that question: whether the company is real and regulated, and whether the game itself can be got at by somebody sharper than you. Match Bingo is operated by RTSB Limited under Gambling Commission account 51467, which takes about a minute to check. The second answer is duller: there's nothing to press.
Bingo • Tom Davis • August 28th, 2026

What Is Football Bingo?

A card holds fifteen things that can happen in a football match, and each square marks itself the moment its event happens in the fixture you've chosen. You buy before kick-off, then you go and watch the game. Complete a horizontal row of five before anybody else and you take the fixed prize for that tier.
Weekly Round Up • Tom Davis • August 27th, 2026

This Week on Match Bingo: Premier League and Championship, 28 to 31 August

A Friday night opener, a full Saturday, and Villa against Arsenal alone on the Monday.
View all posts

100% Deposit Match Bonus For New Players

Eligible new players get a 100% matched deposit bonus when they deposit £20 or more.

18+. New GB customers only. One per customer/household/payment method. Min deposit £20. Bonus credit can't be withdrawn, winnings can, no wagering requirement. Making a withdrawal or claiming another deposit bonus will cancel any unused bonus credit. Bonus expires 14 days from claiming. Please gamble responsibly. GamCare.org.uk. Full T&Cs apply.

Updated after the match on . Next update after the fixture on .

18+

You must be over 18 years old to gamble. Please gamble responsibly and in moderation — see our Responsible Gaming page. RTSB Limited is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 51467.