Urawa Reds are closing in on a third-place finish and the spot in the AFC continental competitions that come with it, but they still have to finish strong and that means taking care of business against Avispa Fukuoka on Saturday at 2 pm JST in a match that will be streamed live on the J.League International YouTube channel.
Urawa are on 54 points, two clear of fourth place Sanfrecce Hiroshima and three points ahead of fifth place Nagoya Grampus. A win, with dropped points from the other two would secure them third place as soon as this week, or simply winning out will have them finishing in the top three.
The visit from Avispa marks the penultimate match of Maciej Skorża’s time at Urawa, with the Reds boss set to step aside after the season. He led them to the AFC Champions League crown earlier this season and would surely like to finish his stint in Saitama by securing another spot in continental competition. A win over Fukuoka would go a long way to doing just that.
It would also represent a measure of revenge for Urawa after Avispa defeated them in the 2023 J.League YBC Levain Cup Final earlier this month. With those wounds still fresh, Saturday represents more than just your average league game.
The J.League announced that up to four matches will be streamed live each week for the 2023 season, bringing one of Asia’s top leagues to fans around the world. The streams will be free to view on the J.League International YouTube channel in any country that does not have an existing rights agreement.
