Urawa Reds vs Vissel Kobe

Saitama Stadium forms the backdrop for a heavyweight J1 League meeting between Urawa Reds and Vissel Kobe.

Keen to better last season’s 4th-place finish, Urawa start Gameweek 17 in seventh, albeit only five points adrift of the top three despite going winless in back-to-back league outings (D1, L1). A 2-1 home loss to table-topping Machida last time out knocked Urawa down from a four-game unbeaten J1 League streak (W3, D1), marking their third consecutive failed attempt to keep a clean sheet across all competitions. Confidence stems from winning three successive home league outings beforehand, all of which saw the Red Devils score multiple goals. However, producing another free-scoring performance might not be enough for three points, considering they’ve conceded precisely two goals in four of the last five competitive H2Hs they hosted (W1, D2, L2).

On the other hand, reigning champions Vissel Kobe head into proceedings amidst a rough patch. They’ve lost their last three competitive games, including a frustrating penalty shootout defeat to lower-league Toyama in the YBC Levain Cup. But despite suffering back-to-back league losses, the visitors still flirt with the top spot, trailing leaders Machida by six points. Closing that gap will require a quick response from the division’s joint-best traveling side, with Takayuki Yoshida’s men clocking up six wins on eight league trips this term (D1, L1). Kobe’s rock-solid defense has been a secret ingredient behind their impressive away form, as they’ve conceded an average of only 0.5 goals per match on the road.