Saitama: Urawa Red Diamonds will take a narrow lead into next week’s AFC Champions League Round of 16 second leg after Tomoya Ugajin’s fortuitous first-half volley gave the J.League side a 1-0 victory over FC Seoul of Korea Republic in the first leg on Wednesday.
The 2007 winners took the lead on 14 minutes at Saitama Stadium 2002 when Ugajin netted a looping effort from a tight angle, while the tournament’s leading scorer Adriano twice missed the target from inside the penalty area before the interval.
FC Seoul pushed for the equaliser in the second half and captain Osmar Barba and Adriano both wasted chances to level as Urawa saw out the game to ensure they will take a slender one-goal advantage to the Korean capital in a week’s time.
“Apart from the last 15 minutes, I think we were in control of the game and we could have made it 2-0 or 3-0,” said Urawa coach Mihailo Petrovic. “We won 1-0 but this is only the end of the first half.
“The goal that Ugajin scored for us is seen often during our training sessions, and though he meant it to be a cross it turned out a goal – that’s a product of training.
“It is often said that the Japanese players are not physically strong and would often lose in a physical game against the Koreans. But our players fought hard to prove that the saying is incorrect.
“We are expecting a very tough match in the second leg next week away in Seoul, but I hope we can play there like we did today.”
Urawa got off to the stronger start and Shinzo Koroki asked the first question of goalkeeper Yu Sang-hun inside 10 minutes when he fired in from 25 yards but the stopper parried to safety.
Five minutes later, though, a confident Urawa opened the scoring as the stranded Yu was beaten in unlikely fashion.
Ryota Moriwaki received the ball in the right-back position just inside the opposition half before launching a long cross-field pass over the Seoul backline that the onrushing Ugajin, on the left side of the penalty area, attempted to volley back into the centre but instead diverted over the unfortunate custodian and into the far corner.
But the visitors came back into the game with Adriano latching on to a flick by Japanese midfielder Yojiro Takahagi and blasting wide shortly before the 30-minute mark and Dejan Damjanovic directing an effort straight at goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa soon after.
Yu was again called into action in the 33rd minute when he did well to save Tadanari Lee’s deflected effort from 10 yards, while Adriano was off target from close in down the other end six minutes before the interval.
The J.League side then could have doubled their advantage 10 minutes after the restart when the quick-thinking Yosuke Kashiwagi slipped a pin-point free-kick through the middle to Takahiro Sekine but Yu was fast off his line to thwart the midfielder with his left hand.
Midway through the half Seoul had another sight on goal after defender Kim Dong-woo headed into the path of Barba only for the Spaniard to fire over on the turn from seven yards.
As an end-to-end game ensued substitute Yoshiaki Komai then broke in from the left, cut inside Kim and drilled wide of the near post on 70 minutes as Urawa looked to put the result beyond doubt.
And with just two minutes left on the clock Adriano was presented with the ball six yards out, but the Brazilian’s off night continued as he shot straight at Nishikawa from a tight angle as Urawa held on for the first leg victory.
“The result is obviously disappointing,” said Seoul coach Choi Yong-soo. “We prepared well for this away game but our players were too hasty.”
“It would have been better if we could have pressurised our opponents more. But we will make sure to prepare well for the next game at home and make it turn around for us.”
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