After securing a scoreless draw in the first leg at Tianhe Stadium in late August, the hosts go into the game on a fine run of form as a 2-0 victory over J.League leaders FC Tokyo at the weekend saw Kashima close the gap to just one point at the top of the table.

But while their season continues to go from strength to strength as they chase silverware on four fronts, the lack of an away goal in China could yet leave them in a perilous position and a Guangzhou goal could change the whole trajectory of the tie.

Two first-half goals had stunned the home crowd at Shanghai Stadium last month when Tomoaki Makino and Shinzo Koroki gave visitors Urawa Red Diamonds a 2-0 lead at the break, but two penalties emphatically converted by Hulk after the restart saw the scores finish level in China PR.

With the away goal advantage and in front of their home support, Urawa have been left in a strong position to advance to the last four for the fourth time in seven appearances, while Shanghai SIPG would be looking to reach just their second semi-final.

Going into the matches, only Al Nassr start with a lead while the other three fixtures will kick off all square. Ahead of what promises to be an intriguing few days packed with drama and tension, the-AFC.com has picked five things to look out for.

The J.League side secured a goalless draw in the first leg in Guangzhou just over two weeks ago, while their league form has also taken an upturn, having been beaten just once since May as the Ibaraki side have risen to second behind leaders FC Tokyo.

And, just as in 2018, the defending champions could be hitting form at the right time, with Go Oiwa’s team just three games away from a second successive final as they aim to become the first side to defend the AFC Champions League since Al Ittihad in 2004 and 2005.

Many of Urawa Reds current side know what it takes, and what it feels like, to be AFC Champions League winners. Less than two years ago, the likes of Shusaku Nishikawa, Tomoaki Makino and Shinzo Koroki lifted the trophy into the Saitama night sky.

Two from that squad, captain Yuki Abe and Tadaaki Hirakawa, had also won the title 10 years earlier; a success that had a profound impact on current defender Hashioka, the youngest player in the first team.

The two South Americans have once again been on top of their game in the Continental competition and both played vital roles in the first leg comeback that saw the Chinese champions restore parity after going into the interval two goals down.

Oscar drew the foul from countryman Mauricio Antonio that led to Hulk’s first successful penalty, before the latter then converted a second spot-kick following a handball.

Much of the hype ahead of Shanghai and Urawa's first meeting revolved around the former's new headline trio of attackers as Brazilians Hulk and Oscar were joined by former West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic, making his debut in Asia's premier club competition.

However, the man who made the biggest impact in the first half was none of the three but instead all-action 27-year-old Nagasawa who had a hand in both of Urawa's opening goals that stunned the hosts. First his free-kick was forced home by Tomoaki Makino, and then it was his incisive pass that picked out striker Shinzo Koroki to double the lead.