J.League Cup: Vissel Kobe vs Urawa Red Diamonds! Indifferent to the cup, will Vissel Kobe turn into the losing side?

Hello everyone! I am Xiao Jiu, who talks about three matches daily.

Today's first match to talk about is the 5 PM J.League Cup: Vissel Kobe vs Urawa Red Diamonds!

In cup games, fighting spirit is very important. Let’s discuss motivation first, then strength.

Do you think Kobe really cares about the J.League Cup? I don’t believe that.

In the past three years, Kobe has never played with a full-strength squad in the J.League Cup.

Two years ago, they used all substitutes in 6 group matches and ended up last, getting eliminated immediately.

Last year, in the first J.League Cup match, Kawasaki Munich knocked them out with a 6-0 defeat.

What about this year? In the 6 group matches, they only fielded up to 4 starters at most.

The 6th match against Tokushima was a do-or-die game; if they didn’t win, they would likely be eliminated. Yet they still didn’t play many starters, showing they didn’t care much.

Urawa, on the other hand, takes it more seriously.

Though not full strength either, they at least ensure more than half of the starters play each match.

They even dare to start their ace striker Junk!

They are serious in the group stage, so there’s no reason to give up by the semifinals, right?

In terms of motivation, Urawa seems more reliable.

What about strength?

Urawa’s current strength might be among the top five in Japan because they have gained an extremely huge boost.

Why have they suddenly been so strong in the last 5 J.League matches?

They scored 9 goals in total, even netting 3 against the defensive Osaka Steel Plate?

Because Junk is finally able to play.

Junk was the top scorer in the Norwegian league last season, shining as the team's main striker, scoring 26 goals and providing 7 assists in 25 matches—truly formidable.

Milan wanted Haiyu instead of Junk, not because Haiyu is better, but because Junk is older and has little potential left.

But Junk playing in the J.League is like a dimensional downgrade strike.

How impressive is he? I must share some gifs to let everyone feel it.

First, his height and jumping ability dominate the XRB league.

When he stands in the penalty area, Japan’s relatively short defenders have no answer; parking the bus doesn’t help.

Second, despite his large build, he is surprisingly fast and has excellent ball control. He dribbles past you if he wants; you can’t stop him without double-teaming. If you double-team, he’s also an excellent passer.

Third, his shooting accuracy is ridiculous... With only 13 shots and 7 on target, he scored 5 goals! Look at these goals—his positioning, ball control, and shooting technique are all beyond J.League level.

Why was Urawa’s attack so poor last season? They ranked sixth from bottom in goals scored.

It was due to weak forwards—371 shots resulted in just 43 goals, an 11% conversion rate.

In the last five matches? They had 37 shots, 16 on target, scoring 9 goals—a 24% conversion rate, doubling the previous rate! How could their results not improve?

As a traditional strong team, Urawa’s midfield and defense are solid; what they lacked before was a striker like Junk.

What about Kobe?

Although they lost only 3 out of 17 J.League matches this season, maintaining an unbeaten rate of 82.4%.

Their recent form has clearly declined, winning only 1 of the last 5 games.

Especially in the last two matches, if not for Lady Luck’s favor, that 1 win and 1 draw might have turned into 1 draw and 1 loss.

Urawa’s current strength is not inferior to Kobe’s and their form is better. Why should Kobe be able to beat Urawa?

In terms of support, Kobe’s advantage is weakening. Although Kobe ranks above Urawa, hosting the match but being underestimated like this seems risky.

Even if they are not labeled as the losing side, at least the victory is unlikely.

Hopefully, Urawa can at least avoid defeat!

Alright, I will send text analyses of other matches this afternoon as usual. Feel free to ask me if anything is unclear.

Everyone is welcome to share thoughts in the comments. Please tap like and save with a click!