Saitama: This Saturday, the iconic Saitama Stadium 2002 will be the stage for the second leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League final between Urawa Red Diamonds and Al Hilal.
Built to serve as a venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the imposing 63,700-capacity venue is a fitting location for Asian continental club football’s showpiece event, having already born witness to several memorable matches.
Urawa Red Diamonds v Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (2007 AFC Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg)
After playing out a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the 2007 AFC Champions League semi-final, the second leg between Urawa and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma was perfectly poised, and Washington put the hosts one up at the interval.
But Seongnam fought back as Choi Sung-kuk and Kim Dong-hyun made it 2-1 to the Koreans, before Makoto Hasebe struck on 73 minutes as the eventual 4-4 aggregate scoreline meant the tie would be decided by penalties.
Brazilians Robson Ponte and Washington netted before Choi missed the visitors’ second spot-kick. With Urawa handed the initiative, Yuki Abe, Yuichiro Nagai and Tadaaki Hirakawa made no mistake as the J.League team advanced to the final.
Urawa Red Diamonds v Sepahan (2007 AFC Champions League Final 2nd Leg)
Urawa returned home from the first leg of the final against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Sepahan with a 1-1 draw, and almost 60,000 would turn out in the hope of seeing their side crowned continental champions.
Nagai calmed any nerves midway through the first half when he got on the end of Ponte’s deflected through ball and powered into the back before reeling off in celebration in front of the sea of red behind the goal.
Then with just under 20 minutes to play, Nagai fired Washington’s knockback goalwards and, when his initial effort was parried out, Abe was on hand to nod home to seal a 2-0 victory and a first AFC Champions League title.
Urawa Red Diamonds v Gamba Osaka (2008 AFC Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg)
An all Japanese affair between bitter rivals Urawa and Gamba Osaka in the 2008 AFC Champions League semi-final saw the sides play out a 1-1 draw in the first leg as Reds took yet another draw back to Saitama Stadium.
Naohiro Takahara gave the hosts a first-half lead as Urawa remained on course to retain their title, before Satoshi Yamaguchi headed in the equaliser shortly after the restart as Gamba fought back.
Tomokazu Myojin put the visitors 2-1 up with 18 minutes to play and Yasuhito Endo finished off a neatly worked move five minutes later as a remarkable second-half comeback saw Gamba run out 3-1 winners before defeating Adelaide United in the final as the trophy remained in Japan.
Urawa Red Diamonds v Guangzhou Evergrande (2013 AFC Champions League Group Stage)
The 2013 AFC Champions League witnessed the crowning of China’s first champions, Guangzhou Evergrande.
Along the way to the Asian title, Marcello Lippi’s side took part in a rollercoaster tie against Urawa in Saitama.
The penultimate round of ties in Group F saw Guangzhou, Urawa and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors all in the running for a place in the Round of 16 and so the tie in Japan was vital.
Lucas Barrios had put Guangzhou 1-0 up at half-time, but the hosts came roaring back with three goals in 15 second half minutes.
Muriqui made things tense at the end by reducing the deficit on the 87th minute but Urawa would hold out to take a memorable three points against that year’s winners.
Urawa Red Diamonds v Kawasaki Frontale (2017 AFC Champions League Quarter-final 2nd Leg)
The final entry on this list is also the most recent, from this year’s AFC Champions League competition, when Urawa pulled off one of the most extraordinary comebacks in the tournament’s history.
Trailing 3-1 to Kawasaki Frontale after the first leg at Todoroki Athletics Stadium, Urawa went a goal further behind early on when Elsinho netted for the visitors. But after Kawasaki were reduced to 10 men, Urawa came back in stunning fashion.
Goals from Shinzo Koroki and Zlatan Ljubijankic gave them hope before Rafael Silva scored in the 84th minute to level the tie.
Two minutes later, Toshiyuki Takagi finished off a cross to put the icing on the cake for Urawa's remarkable comeback.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com