Urawa Reds and Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Urawa Reds and Sanfrecce Hiroshima are set to trade tackles in a tasty-looking J1 League showdown at the Saitama Stadium.

Despite overcoming Al-Hilal in the AFC Champions League grand final earlier this month to secure continental glory for the third time in the club’s history, Urawa cannot catch a break on the domestic front. Their last eight league matches have fluctuated between different outcomes (W4, D3, L1), leaving them five points adrift of the Champions League qualification spots ahead of this round. However, Maciej Skorza’s men have gone from strength to strength at home this season, racking up four wins in five top-flight games (L1). Each of those four victories came ‘to one,’ testifying to Urawa’s prolificacy in the front third. Particularly eventful after the break, the ‘Reds’ have recorded 73% of their home league goals this term in the second half of play (7/11).

On the other hand, Hiroshima pulled off a late 1-0 home win over Shonan Bellmare last time out, ending a two-game losing league streak and moving within a three-point distance of third-placed Nagoya Grampus. But after going unbeaten on their opening five J1 League travels (W4, D1), the visitors have lost their last two away matches by an aggregate score of 4-1, conceding inside the first three minutes of the second half on both occasions. Connoisseurs of action-packed football may not fancy this fixture, considering four of Hiroshima’s last five J1 League visits to Urawa have featured under 1.5 goals (W1, D1, L3). As such, drawing first blood could be crucial, even though both sides have an eye-catching track record of turning matches on their head. While Hiroshima emerged victorious twice in five league games in which they’ve conceded first this term (L3), Urawa have managed three wins in four such fixtures at home (L1).