Urawa Red Diamonds vs Lee Man Prediction and Betting Tips

Urawa Red Diamonds entertain Lee Man at the Saitama Stadium 2002 in the AFC Champions League playoff round on Tuesday (August 22).

The Red Diamonds are kicking off their international cup season. They had a bye to the playoffs and did not play the preliminary round. The Japanese giants are seeking a fourth title in the competition, having won their third accolade in the AFC Champions League last season.

Akai Akuma humbled Nagoya 1-0 in the J1 League on Friday to end a four-game winless run across competitions. They will look to maintain that momentum as they meet Lee Man for the first time. The hosts will also take confidence from their recent record of 11 home games without a defeat.

Lee Man, meanwhile, began their campaign in the preliminary round, crushing Indonesian side Bali United 5-1 to progress to this stage. The visitors are playing their third season in the AFC Champions League. Last year, they made it past the playoffs to reach the group stage – their best continental record so far.

They finished second in the Hong Kong Premier League last season. They lost 2-0 to Southern FC in the Sapling Cup in May. It was the only game they played in the offseason ahead of their continental campaign. Lee Man have lost once in five away games.

Urawa Red Diamonds vs Lee Man Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

Urawa have won thrice and drawn twice in their last five home games.
The Diamonds have scored twice and conceded seven times in their last five games.
Urawa are fourth in the J1 League, below the AFC Champions League spots.
Lee Man have won thrice, drawn once and lost once in their last five away outings.
Urawa have won once, drawn once and lost thrice in their last five games, while Lee Man have won thrice, drawn once and lost once in the same period.
Form Guide: Urawa: W-L-D-L-L; Lee Man: W-L-D-W-W

Urawa Red Diamonds vs Lee Man Prediction

Urawa's top three scorers at the 2022-23 AFC Champions League have departed. However, the tournament’s MVP Hiroki Sakai is still in their books and could help galvanize the squad.

Lee Man, meanwhile, have kept most of their top players despite transfer speculation. Brazilian duo Everton Camargo and Gil were among the domestic league’s top scorers last season.

Urawa are the favourites to win the clash based on their superior form and home advantage.

Prediction: Urawa 3-1 Lee Man

Urawa Red Diamonds vs Lee Man Tips

Tip 1: Result – Urawa Red Diamonds

Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals – Yes

Tip 3: Urawa to score first – Yes

Tip 4: Lee Man to score - Yes

About the author

Kingsley is a seasoned European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda who covers match previews. He holds a Bachelor’s degree. in Communication and has a mammoth 29 years of experience in the field, with his work being featured in the BBC, Al Jazeera, GOAL, Supersports, and more. He has also done the on-site coverage of six different editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup once in 2006.

Kingsley’s interest in the game blossomed playing street football at nine years old, and ultimately went on to play football professionally as a defender. His favorite football team is Barcelona as he simply adores their ‘Tiki-Taka’ style of play, and their incredible 6-1 comeback win against PSG in the 2016-17 Champions League Round of 16 is his most memorable football match till date. His all-time favorite player is Lionel Messi and admires the style of play of Pep Guardiola’s teams.

Kingsley places a high emphasis on original content. Outside of European football, he also likes following the MLS, Liga MX, and the Brazilian Serie A. In his free time, Kingsley likes to listen to music and explore the world of photography.

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