AFC Champions League betting and spectator preview: Urawa Reds and Pohang Steelers meet at Saitama Stadium 2002 to measure strength and learn who makes it to the next stage.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
Urawa Reds form and stats
The home supporters can't complain about results here at Saitama Stadium 2002 as Urawa Reds have scored 22 goals to get 30 points from 15 games. The overall stats in the J-League are 8-6-1 (wins-draws-losses).
The Urawa Reds regulars enjoyed the previous game, watching their team host Kashiwa Reysol and win 2-0. Koizumi (midfield) was the top team player in that game with a rating of 8.14/10. Koizumi scored one goal, served one assist, hit one key pass and had 27 successful passes (of 29 total).
Preceding that game, a home win hosting Yokohama F. Marinos in the Nabisco Cup. The home team are moderate favourites in this game. How does Urawa Reds handle that role? We have found 14 games in our database similar to this one, based on the home odds. The stats for these games are 9 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat.
The manager Skorża will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to Kashima Antlers in only four days.
The Urawa fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 22 in 15 matches. Urawa Reds have only conceded 10 from their league home games. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Pohang Steelers form and stats
There were no winners in Steelers's previous match, the home game that ended 1-1 vs Incheon United.
A 0-1 defeat away at Suwon Bluewings before that.Pohang Steelers are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 3 wins, 2 draws and 0 defeats. From a total of 5 matches.
The schedule is very tough for Pohang Steelers now as they have to travel again shortly after this match. A K-League Classic game at Jeonbuk Motors is waiting in only four days.
Head 2 Head
Head-to-head statistics (for the prior two meetings): Urawa won zero games, one match ended in a draw and Pohang Steelers managed one win. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: zero / two. The games between these clubs have sometimes been hostile, having seen 2 red cards from the last two duels.
Top Goalscorers
  Go Young-jun 8 goals |   J. Kanté Martínez 7 goals |
Urawa Reds missing players
Pohang Steelers missing players
| Urawa Reds | Pohang Steelers | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 13 | Played | P | 12 | 25 | ||
| 12 | 8 | Won | W | 4 | 13 | ||
| 9 | 5 | Drew | D | 6 | 9 | ||
| 4 | 0 | Lost | L | 2 | 3 | ||
| 36 | 24 | Scored | S | 17 | 42 | ||
| 17 | 3 | Conceded | C | 12 | 25 | ||
| 84% | 77% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 83% | 88% | ||
| 64% | 62% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 72% | ||
| 36% | 31% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 44% | ||
| 16% | 15% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 25% | 28% | ||
| 8% | 15% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 17% | 16% | ||
| 36% | 23% | BTTS | BTTS | 50% | 60% | ||
| 52% | 77% | Clean Sheets | C S | 42% | 32% | ||
| 28% | 23% | Failed to Score | F T | 25% | 20% | ||
| 5.4 | 5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 4.8 | 4.2 | ||
| 4.8 | 4.1 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.9 | 4.2 | ||
| 1.2 | 1.2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.4 | 1.4 | ||
| 2 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 12.5 | 14.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 11.4 | 13.8 | ||
| 4.8 | 6.6 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.5 | 5.5 | ||
| 30% | 28% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 31% | 30% | ||
| 10.6 | 9.8 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 11.2 | 10 | ||
| 3.5 | 2.4 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 3.5 | 3.9 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Pohang Steelers | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 | Urawa Reds | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 3 | Wuhan Three Towns | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
| 4 | Ha Noi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -8 | 0 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Vissel Kobe | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 54 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 13 | 28 | 61 |
| 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 30 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 56 | 37 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 57 |
| 3 | Urawa Reds | 30 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 37 | 22 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 53 |
| 4 | Nagoya Grampus | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 30 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 19 | 7 | 50 |
| 5 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 36 | 27 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 48 |
| 6 | Kashima Antlers | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 40 | 29 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 47 |
| 7 | Cerezo Osaka | 30 | 14 | 4 | 12 | 38 | 30 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 15 | 8 | 46 |
| 8 | Avispa Fukuoka | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 32 | 35 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 22 | -3 | 45 |
| 9 | Kawasaki Frontale | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 43 | 41 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 18 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 42 |
| 10 | Tokyo | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 39 | 41 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 22 | -2 | 39 |
| 11 | Albirex Niigata | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 34 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 18 | -6 | 37 |
| 12 | Sagan Tosu | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 39 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 18 | -1 | 36 |
| 13 | Gamba Osaka | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 37 | 54 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 35 | -17 | 34 |
| 14 | Consadole Sapporo | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 51 | 57 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 23 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 28 | 34 | -6 | 33 |
| 15 | Kyoto Sanga | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 33 | 40 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 23 | -7 | 33 |
| 16 | Kashiwa Reysol | 30 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 28 | 42 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 20 | -14 | 29 |
| 17 | Shonan Bellmare | 30 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 36 | 53 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 25 | -17 | 27 |
| 18 | Yokohama | 30 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 52 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 23 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 29 | -26 | 26 |
