Defending AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan made short work of Hong Kong’s Lee Man FC to book their spot in the competition’s group stages with a straightforward 3-0 win at the Saitama Stadium 2002.
Coming into Tuesday’s qualifying play-off match as heavy favorites, it took Urawa only three minutes to open the scoring after Yoshio Koizumi had beaten Chan Ka-ho in the Lee Man goal with a well-placed finish, before Shinzo Koroki put the game to bed four minutes later.
Lee Man, who dismantled Indonesian giants Bali United to seal their date with the defending champs in the previous round, were second-best throughout the match, as Shoya Nakajima – on his first appearance back in Japanese soil following a six-year stint in Europe – commanded the Urawa midfield in keeping the Hong Kongers at arm’s length.
An injury-time goal by Takahiro Sekine only serves to further cement Urawa’s domination, and the Reds will now join Yokohama F. Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale, and Ventforet Kofu as Japan’s representatives in this year’s ACL group stages.