Wuhan Three Towns vs Urawa Reds

Defending AFC Champions League holders Urawa Reds take a trip to the Wuhan Sports Centre to encounter Chinese powerhouse Wuhan Three Town in their Group J opener.

Despite stitching together three consecutive league triumphs in the lead-up to this fixture, Wuhan Three Towns will unlikely defend their Chinese Super League crown this term, with pacesetters Shanghai Port already a whopping 14 points clear. While domestic supremacy sits well beyond Wuhan’s reach, Tsutomu Takahata’s side shouldn’t let them mess with their heads as they embark on their maiden Champions League group stage campaign on home soil. Wuham’s home form since the start of July has been nothing short of outstanding, with the Chinese giants racking up six wins in seven league matches in that period (L1), not to mention scoring multiple goals in five of those six victories.

Unlike their hosts, Urawa Reds remain relevant in the J1 League title race despite drawing their last two league games, including a disheartening 0-0 stalemate against Kyoto in the run-up to this meeting. Indeed, Maciej Skorza’s men trail table-topping Vissel Kobe by six points, which gives them legitimate chances of reclaiming the league title for the first time since 2006. But they shouldn’t let their domestic ambitions temper their continental commitments as they bid to become the first side to defend the Champions League crown since Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad achieved that feat in 2004 and 2005. Urawa’s eye-catching seven-match unbeaten streak ahead of this trip (W5, D2) suggests their title defense could be off to a flyer.