The J.League's Urawa Reds collapsed unable to withstand stoppage time. The Japanese football community, feeling the world's wall, fell into despair.
Urawa lost 1-2 to Inter Milan in the second match of Group F in the 2025 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Club World Cup, held at Lumen Field in Seattle, U.S., on the 22nd (Korea time).
As a result, Urawa recorded two consecutive losses after losing 1-3 to River Plate (Argentina) in their first match. On the same day, Ulsan HD, which also lost to Fluminense, was confirmed to be eliminated from the group stage regardless of the result of the last match. Ulsan also lost 2-4 to Fluminense and faced elimination.
The start was good for Urawa. In the 11th minute of the first half, Ryoma Watanabe scored a surprising opening goal, startling Inter. It was enough to surprise last season's UEFA Champions League (UCL) runners-up, Inter, with a solid attack and stable defense. In fact, Inter failed to create a single effective shot throughout the first half.
However, the second half was different. Urawa, which had been blocking well, allowed an equalizer with a volley shot from Lautaro Martínez in the 33rd minute of the second half. After that, Urawa played even more defensively but ultimately could not hold on. In stoppage time, they conceded a heartbreaking comeback goal to Valentín Carboni and fell to their knees.
After the match, the Japanese football community could not hide their sighs. Japan's 'Soccer Digest' noted, "Urawa recorded a nightmare comeback loss against Inter. This revealed the gap between the world as we conceded a goal despite thorough defense. We allowed a painful goal in the 2nd minute of stoppage time."
The media also mentioned, "While Urawa was excellent in defense, they barely had the ball. There was an overwhelming quality difference from midfield build-up," adding, "Inter had many injuries and was not at their absolute best. Yet, it is the harsh reality that they couldn’t win. This was the difference between the J.League and world football."
Urawa players also shed tears of regret. Goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa said, "We all wanted to protect the end together. Including the substitutes, we had a defensive consciousness, so conceding a goal at the last moment is a truly cruel result. The content was good, but from the result, we feel the gap with the world."
Watanabe, who scored the opening goal, also said, "Up to the point we got the opening goal was okay. But there may have been some gap somewhere. There were times when we needed to create more of our moments. As a team, we need to develop more," adding, "I also had a scene in the second half where I couldn't capitalize on the chance. I think that's the difference in each one."
Now Urawa's goal is to secure one win. Urawa aims to finish strong by winning against Monterrey (Mexico) in the final match on the 26th. However, Monterrey drew 1-1 with Inter and displayed their resilience, making for a challenging match. Japanese fans are already expressing despair, saying, "It feels like watching the World Cup in the 1990s."
Nevertheless, Nishikawa said, "We cannot return to Japan like this. Many people came expecting a good result. My only thought now is to win against Monterrey and return to Japan," adding, "I realized again that I wanted to go even higher than I thought. I believe this regret will definitely make me stronger," pledging his determination.
Watanabe also said, "There is still one match left. I will not consider it just a simple stepping stone, but I will cherish each match to grow. I will continue into the second half for the J.League," aiming for victory.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (not for reproduction or redistribution)
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