Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Saitama: Urawa Red Diamonds will clash with Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the final of the 2017 AFC Champions League after they defeated China’s Shanghai SIPG 1-0 in their semi-final second leg on Wednesday night to secure a 2-1 aggregate win.
Rafael Silva’s 11th minute header decided a nail-biting tie at Saitama Stadium in Urawa’s favour, sending the Japanese side into their first continental final since they won the competition in 2007.
It was actually SIPG who had the first chance of the evening as they looked for a crucial away goal, but Wu Lei sent his header from a Hulk free-kick straight at Urawa goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa after seven minutes.
Rafael Silva was more accurate with his aerial attempt four minutes later, getting to Yosuke Kashiwagi’s out-swinging corner ahead of Odil Ahmedov and nodding home via the palm of Yan Junling.
That goal served to enliven the hosts, and they could have doubled their lead in the 17th minute if Yuki Muto had been a little more accurate with an unmarked header from close range after a whipped Wataru Endo cross from the right.
SIPG’s task hadn’t changed though and they knew a goal of their own would match Reds’ from the first leg in Shanghai and restore parity in the tie, and Hulk went close with a few sighters from range, including a free-kick that was tipped past the post by Nishikawa in the 24th minute.
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