The Emperor's Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship Final will be held at Japan National Stadium on Sunday 19 December. Here we will share the match review of the final, written by Mr. SUGIZONO Masayuki, a sports journalist covering the Urawa Red Diamonds.

The Urawa Red Diamonds have fought through this tough tournament with a clear objective: to qualify for the AFC Champions League (ACL). They have played against J2 and J3 sides leading to the round of 16, where they showcased solid performances to win each match with a shutout. In spite of the tight schedule, the club managed to maintain their team-strength at a high level and made a deep run in the tournament by effectively rotating their players. From the quarterfinals onwards, the club continued to rack up clean sheets, despite being up against J1 clubs, as they reached their fifth Emperor's Cup final, second in three years, by going five matches in a row without conceding a single goal.

The Urawa defence is determined to continue their perfect record, as their goalkeeper NISHIKAWA Shusaku shared his determination to win the title without conceding a goal.

“We came this far without conceding a goal, so we want to finish it that way.”

However, it is not the case that coach Ricardo RODRIGUEZ, in his first year in charge, has built a team focused on defence. Rather, his aggressive pressing style has proven to be effective, leading to the pile of clean sheets in the Emperor's Cup.

How quickly they can make transitions between offence and defence will be the key when they face Oita Trinita in the final. It is expected that they will continue to build their offence by connecting passes from their own half. The key to success lies in their ability to recover the ball quickly when they are caught out by the opposition's press in midfield. The work of defensive midfielders ITO Atsuki and SHIBATO Kai will become even more significant in this match.

At the moment, the club's motivation is at an all-time high. UGAJIN Tomoya and MAKINO Tomoaki, who are due to leave the club at the end of their contracts this winter, are keen to finish their time with the club by winning the Emperor's Cup. Both contributed to the club's victory in the semi-finals, with Ugajin scoring a stunning goal, while Makino putting his body on the line as a late substitute to keep the game scoreless until the end. And all the players agreed on one thing: “We want our captain, ABE Yuki, to lift the trophy.” Abe has announced that he will retire at the end of this season, and whether they win or lose, 19 December will be his last match as a player. He has played for Urawa since 2007 and won numerous titles, including two ACL titles and the Emperor's Cup in 2018. His contribution to the club is immeasurable.
The Spanish coach paid his utmost respect to the Japanese legend and spoke of his desire towards the final match.

“We want to fight as one team so that ABE Yuki can raise the Emperor's Cup.”

With the Emperor's Cup final just around the corner, Urawa are in great shape, both physically and mentally, as they look to win the tournament for the fourth time.

Emperor's Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship

【1st Round】Sat. 22, Sun. 23 May [Backup date: Mon. 24 May]
【2nd Round】Wed. 9, Wed. 16 June
【3rd Round】Wed. 7 July [Backup date: Wed. 14 July]
【Round of 16】Wed. 18 August [Backup date: Wed. 13 October]
【Quarterfinals】Wed. 27 October［Backup date: Wed. 17 November］
【Semi-Finals】Sun. 12 December
【Final】Sun. 19 December

Tournament Information