On August 7th at 6:30 PM, Urawa Reds will host Kashiwa Reysol at Saitama 2002 Stadium in the 25th round of the J.League.
Urawa Reds suffered a shocking 3-4 home defeat to bottom-placed Consadole Sapporo in the 24th round of the J.League on July 20th. Despite trailing by four goals, they managed to claw back three goals in the final stages through Thiago Santana and substitute Riku Nida, but ultimately fell short due to the limited time remaining. Reflecting on the recent slump, Urawa Reds manager Maciej Skorza told the media: “I think we missed four chances in the first 20 minutes against Sapporo. Afterwards, our defense was positioned a bit too high. I don’t think the final result should have been like this. I want to make adjustments during the break.”
Urawa Reds currently sit in 10th place in the J.League standings with a record of 9 wins, 6 draws, and 9 losses, trailing the title contenders by a significant 11 points. Their chances of achieving their initial goal of winning the championship this season appear slim. Despite this, their home record is not entirely discouraging, with 6 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses from 13 home games. However, they have lost their last three home games against Shonan Bellmare, Consadole Sapporo, and Newcastle United, showcasing a worrying defensive vulnerability.
In terms of lineup, Urawa Reds’ previous injury concerns involving Gustafson, Yuta Abe, Yusuke Matsuo, Mori, and Naoki Maeda have been resolved, with all players returning to action during the friendly matches during the break. Newly acquired winger Hiroto Naganuma is expected to make his starting debut in this match. Meanwhile, veteran striker Shinzo Koroki announced last week that he will retire at the end of the current season.
Away side Kashiwa Reysol suffered a 2-3 home defeat against Kawasaki Frontale in the previous round. They were initially two goals down but fought back to level the score. However, their defense faltered in the final moments, and substitute striker Matheus Savio missed a penalty in stoppage time, costing them a home victory. However, the third goal scored by Kawasaki Frontale was highly contentious, with replays showing a potential offside. Nonetheless, Kashiwa Reysol did not appeal the decision. Regarding the recent poor form, Kashiwa Reysol manager Masami Ihara stated at the post-match press conference: “It would have been better if we had given it our all from the start. But the fact that we couldn’t get points in this kind of game is simply down to our lack of ability.”
Kashiwa Reysol currently occupies 13th place in the J.League standings, with 7 wins, 8 draws, and 9 losses, maintaining a 5-point gap over the relegation zone. Their chances of avoiding relegation this season appear fairly good. However, they have a dismal away record, with only 3 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses from 12 league matches away from home, resulting in a win rate of only 25%. Their defensive capabilities on the road are particularly concerning. In the last nine away matches, including all competitions, they have managed just one victory, suffering heavy defeats against strong teams like Nagoya and Gamba Osaka. They have shown little resistance in these encounters.
In terms of lineup, Kashiwa Reysol’s starting center-back Tomohiro Inukai returned from injury in the last game, and starting right-back Dai Kaneko and striker Shin Yamazaki have rejoined the team after participating in the Paris Olympics. During the transfer window, Kashiwa Reysol traded their starting midfielder and captain Yuto Takagi to Belgian Pro League club Kortrijk. In return, they signed Kohei Tsuzuki from Sagan Tosu. Additionally, Kashiwa Reysol parted ways with forwards Sakurada Yamamoto and Yuya Muto during the break, leaving their bench depth in the attacking line depleted.
In their previous 20 encounters, Urawa Reds hold the psychological advantage with 9 wins, 5 draws, and 6 losses. In this match, Urawa Reds will be aiming to return to winning ways on their daunting home turf. Will Kashiwa Reysol, who have struggled to secure points away from home, find a way to snatch a result?
>>”>For more predictions on this match, click here>>>
This article is from a user submission and does not represent the views of Soccer News Pick. If you repost it, please indicate the source: https://www.soccernewspick.com/j1-league/17658.html
