Home and Away: Hosts have the Beiting of Ashdod today

Kashiwa are looking to secure their third Emperor's Cup in the early hours of tomorrow.

Jonno Turner selects two tips to end 2012 with a bang in his Home and Away column.

We're off to Israel for the first of our two picks today, and Beitar Jerusalem host FC Ashdod at the Teddy Stadium, looking to make it five unbeaten.

Eli Cohen's side have lost just one of their last half a dozen Ligat Ha'al home clashes ahead of this one, and will be keen to continue that momentum in order to lift themselves into the Championship Round places.

And the Menorah have smashed 11 goals in six on their own patch, which indicates that they possess more than enough attacking quality to punish their opponents here.

Their guests travel to the capital in miserable form, and have lost four of their last five - shipping seven goals in that time.

Those totals suggest that Yossi Mizrahi's side have issues defensively, and that could have a major bearing on the outcome of this encounter.

Just one win in seven away from the Yud-Alef Stadium suggests that the visitors may struggle in this one - and just two goals scored in five on their travels indicates that they may be lacking the necessary cutting edge in the final third to take anything from this clash.

And the Dolphins, who currently sit in fourth place in the table, are slipping fast - and could see themselves out of the top six if they don't secure a positive result from this game.

The last time these two sides met at the Teddy, the hosts ran out 1-0 winners, and I expect them to chalk up another three points here.

Bet 1: Beitar Jerusalem (HOME) @ 2.46

Over to Japan now, and Kashiwa travel to Gamba Osaka in the final of the Emperor's Cup, aiming to extend their excellent form of late which has seen them lose just one of seven.

Nelsinho Baptista's side have won three on the trot ahead of this one, and that will have them buoyed and full of confidence ahead of this massive game.

Four wins from five games away from the Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium indicates that the Sun Kings have enough momentum and vigour to win this tie, and eight goals scored in their last four away wins shows that they have the firepower to do so, too.

Gamba go into this one in similarly good form, and have been formidable on their own patch of late.

But just three wins from six away from the Banpaku Kinen Koen Sports Stadium recently suggests that they may struggle to transpose that form to the venue of this final, the Tokyo National Stadium.

And six games without a clean sheet indicates that Masanobu Matsanami's side may be struggling in defence at the moment - a possible weakness for their opposition to exploit.

This will be a tough one to call - but Kashiwa are unbeaten in four against Gamba, winning three of those, and I think that they will have enough in the tank to claim their third Emperor's Cup here.

Bet 2: Kashiwa (AWAY) @ 2.98