Japan’s Urawa Win AFC Champions League

Date: 06 May 2023 - 23:11

News ID: ۱۱۴۷۲۹

SAITAMA (AFP) - Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds won the Asian Champions League after beating Saudi Arabian defending champions Al Hilal 1-0 in Saturday’s final second leg for a 2-1 aggregate win.
An own goal by Al Hilal’s Andre Carrillo early in the second half gave Urawa their third Asian title in front of almost 55,000 home fans in Saitama, north of Tokyo, following a 1-1 draw in last week’s opening leg in Riyadh.
The Japanese side had to withstand fierce first-half pressure from Al Hilal, who were looking to win a record fifth continental title and a third in four seasons.
The decisive moment came when Carrillo turned a header from Urawa’s Marius Hoibraten into his own net amid strong wind in the 48th minute, before a determined rear-guard effort from the home side saw out the result and sent the crowd into delirious celebrations.
“They put us under constant pressure right from the start and it was a difficult game,” said Urawa striker Shinzo Koroki, who scored his team’s goal in the first leg.
“But in the second half we started to push them back and although we didn’t have so many chances, we made it count when we did.”
The two teams were meeting in the final of Asia’s premier club competition for the third time in six years. Urawa won in 2017 but Al Hilal came out on top two years later.
Al Hilal were without injured captain Salman Al Faraj and suspended star winger Salem Al Dawsari, who was sent off late in the first leg for kicking out at Urawa’s Ken Iwao.
Al Hilal manager Ramon Diaz made three changes from the first leg, dropping Malian striker Moussa Marega and bringing in experienced Peruvian Carrillo, while Urawa were unchanged.
The Saudi side had an early chance when Odion Ighalo broke clear in the box, only for Urawa defender Alexander Scholz to block his shot on the line.