The final match of the three consecutive matches against AFC Champions League participating clubs is the Urawa match. Tokyo, who was defeated by Yokohama F.Marinos, achieved a come-from-behind victory against Vissel Kobe in the second match, recovering with one win and one loss to face Urawa Reds at home at Ajinomoto Stadium.
Urawa is entering its second season under coach Ricardo Rodriguez, and it cannot be denied that they have a tactical maturity advantage over Tokyo. Moreover, they won the Emperor's Cup last season, which has further boosted the club's confidence in its direction of progress.
The beginning of this season has been marked by a series of losses, but in addition to existing foreign players such as Kasper Junker and Alexander Scholz, new players David Moberg and Alex Schalk have joined the team.
Both Player Moberg and Player Schalk are talented players who scored 10 goals each in the Czech League and Swiss League respectively last season. Including Player Junker, who was the main pillar and scored 9 goals in the J-League last season, a strong attacking lineup will be formed in the front line.
In terms of the lineup in the front line, Tokyo is not losing. Rather, it can be said that they are winning in terms of their current condition and momentum. In the previous match against Kobe, both Diego OLIVEIRA and Adailton scored goals, raising their form. Kensuke NAGAI, who made his first start in the league since the opening match, created numerous scoring opportunities and showed an impressive performance that can be called key player.
Not only the quality of the front line, but also the similarity in team concept is the evaluation of both teams by the media and commentators. In the preview dialogue between Takashi Fukunishi and Ichiro Ozawa, they also describe both teams as "similar". Based on the advantage of position, they hold the ball and push the opponent to take control. Depending on the situation of the game, they can also play aggressively by persistently attacking the opponent's weak points with long balls, without sticking to possession with short passes.
Tokyo also has the ability to break through the defense line with high-quality feeds from the back, and if they cannot shake the opponent with short passes, they can break the situation and quickly speed up and score a goal with a long feed. In particular, they have scored many goals starting from wide positions and using the sides as a base. Coach Albert also felt a sense of accomplishment after the Kobe match, saying, "Overall, we were in a good position, and we were able to attack from the sides. (Omitted) We were able to build up side attacks."
Adapt to the rapidly changing battle situation and take control by choosing the best move. The Urawa match will not only require us to stick to our own style, but also flexibility to respond to changes.
