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It was the third time he accomplished this feat in a competition that spanned the 2022 season and took less than a year to complete. They finished in second place in the group stage held in Thailand in April 2022 as Central Host, and in the knockout stage held in Saitama in August 2022, they defeated Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea) in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout. defeated and advanced to the finals. The schedule for the final was changed from February to May of the following year in 2023, making it possible for the final to be played at Saitama Stadium.Although it has been just under four months since the new J League season started, the first game was held away. The team won the second match 1-0 at home, taking revenge for 2019 against Al Hilal and standing at the top of Asia for the first time in five tournaments. The Reds' third win is the most since the tournament was renamed the AFC Champions League, and puts them at the top of Asia in terms of wins.
Two years have passed since the joy of 2019. In the final round, the Reds beat Beijing Guoan (China) to advance through the group stage, followed by Ulsan Hyundai (Korea) in the round of 16, and Shanghai Shanghai in the quarterfinals, their third match in two years. , Defeated Guangzhou Evergrande in the semi-finals in 2013 and 2016. And the opponent in the final is also Al-Hilal, the same as two years ago. However, they were unable to win the championship for the third time, becoming the first Japanese team to lose in the final. It is a "Medal" given only to those who have overcome many fierce battles. With that frustration in their hearts, the Reds will aim for the next stage in Asia, and will achieve their goal by winning the Emperor's Cup in 2021.
In 2017, the Reds had been participating for the third consecutive year and had become regulars in Asia. They topped Group F, also known as the ``group of death'', and came from behind in their second match against Jeju United (Korea) in the round of 16 and Kawasaki Frontale in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, they defeated "Star Corps" Shanghai Shanghai, which they also faced in the group stage, with a total score of 2-1, and played against Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) in the final. After a 1-1 away first leg, Rafael Silva scored the winning goal just before the end of the second half in an overwhelming atmosphere at home. Following the first win for the Japanese team, it was also the Reds that won the second victory for the first time in the Japanese team.
After winning 2-0 against Sydney FC in the first match of 2016, Guangzhou Evergrande, the champions of the previous year and trailing behind in 2013, finished the group stage for the first time since winning the championship in 2007. rice field. And in the Round of 16, they won the first leg at home 1-0 and faced the second leg in Seoul. At the end of the 90 minutes, the two games were 1-1 in total, they scored points in extra time, and the total was 3-3 in the two games. . A victory that didn't arrive in one step. Still, the Reds continued to fight in Asia and steadily became stronger.
March 4, 2015, Saitama Stadium. Losing 0-1 to Brisbane Roar (Australia), the Reds have suffered two consecutive ACL losses since the opening of the season and three consecutive losses in official matches. After the match, the stands erupt in loud booing. Then the captain Yuki Abe climbed over the signboard and shouted. "I'll show you next time. I'll show you, so please fight with me." ACL finished 4th in the group, but in the final match against Brisbane Roar, the players who had limited opportunities to participate played a central role and won 2-1. And in the J1 League, they won the first stage undefeated, and with the second place in points (final ranking was third), they got the right to participate in the following year's ACL.
The Asian stage that came back after 5 seasons in 2013. The Reds, who had changed greatly from those days, had a ticket to the ACL in the last year of the J1 league in a come-from-behind play. However, the stage in Asia was tough. In a three-way battle, the team was one point behind leaders Guangzhou Evergrande (China) and level with second-placed Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea) on points, but the difference between goals and goals brought tears to their eyes. However, the Reds were one of only two teams to lose the future Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande in the 16 games leading up to the final. That 3-2 victory showed the potential of the Reds and Saitama Stadium.
In 2008, the participation qualification was abolished, and this season, which fought from the final tournament as the champion of the previous year, became a tournament of regret. In the quarterfinals, they reversed their first away loss in the first match and defeated Gamba Osaka (Kuwait) at their home Saitama Stadium. The 2006 season's encounter with the team that competed for the Emperor's Cup in the J1 League in Asia resulted in an away draw and a home defeat, ending the Reds' bid for two consecutive Asian titles.
In 2007, Urawa Reds stood on top of Asia for the first time. Passed the group stage undefeated with 2 wins and 4 draws, defeated Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Korea), the champions of the previous year, in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, a 120-minute deadly battle with Kazuhwa Seongnam (Korea), Reds Fan They won the penalty shootout held in front of the north goal behind the stands filled with supporters. In the final against Sepahan (Iran), after finishing the first away match 1-1, they won the second match 2-0 in an overwhelming home atmosphere. Since becoming the AFC Champions League, the Reds have made their first appearance and won the first victory of the Japanese team without losing.
![[Inside Reds] ACL 2023/24 Group Stage MD1 Behind the scenes of the Wuhan Sanzhen match!](/game/special/acl2023_24/assets/images/movie/movie_inside_md1.jpg)
