Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Urawa Red Diamonds Prediction: Expecting A Tight Contest In The J1 League Curtain Raiser

The start of the J1 League's latest season will see third-place finisher Sanfrecce Hiroshima from last season square off against the esteemed Urawa Red Diamonds at the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima.

Let's have a look at the latest J1 League predictions between Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, match facts, head-to-head statistics and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

In the previous season, Sanfrecce had a decent campaign, finishing third with 58 points and booking their spot in the AFC Champions League qualifiers this season. This marked their second consecutive third-place finish, improving by three points compared to the 2021/22 season.

Anticipations for adding a trophy to their collection will be lofty, having come short in the previous season. Despite being defending champions in the J.League YBC Levain Cup, Sanfrecce Hiroshima weren't able to defend their title following their elimination from the group stages, where they finished second with 9 points in Group C. Presented with a chance to redeem themselves in the Emperor's Cup, it was another opportunity squandered as they lost 2-0 against second-tier Tochigi in the third round.

In preparation for the upcoming competitive matches, Sanfrecce Hiroshima engaged in two friendly games. They managed to defeat Oita Trinita 4-1 and went on to wrap up their preparations with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the hands of Gamba Osaka. Despite this, they enter their first competitive match of the season with optimism, hoping to carry the momentum forward and kick off the season on a positive note.

Urawa Red Diamonds, on the other hand, had their fair share of highs and lows in the previous season. Urawa Reds gave up their third place to Sanfrecce Hiroshima to finish fourth with 57 points, and while this was somewhat disappointing to conclude the season with, it was an improvement from their ninth-place finish in the 2021/22 season.

Similar to their opponents in this encounter, although better, they too fell short of adding a trophy to their collection from the previous season. Urawa Reds managed to reach the fourth round of the Emperor's Cup; however, luck wasn't on their side as they were defeated 3-0 on the road by Nagoya Grampus. Their run in the J.League YBC Levain Cup was impressive, as they reached the final showdown of the competition only to lose 2-1 against Avispa Fukuoka. Besides boasting the title of three-time champions in the AFC Champions League, the defending champions were unexpectedly eliminated from the group stages.

In preparation for the upcoming competitive matches, the Urawa Red Diamonds engaged in three FIFA Club World Cup games. They clinched a 1-0 victory over Club Leon before being thrashed by Manchester City 3-0. In a brawl for third place against Egypt's Al Ahly, they lost 4-2, which also signified Maciej Skorża's final game in charge of the club.

• Sanfrecce Hiroshima are unbeaten in their last eight home matches.
• Urawa Red Diamonds have won two of their last eight away matches across all competitions.
• Sanfrecce Hiroshima averages 1.3 goals per game when playing at home, and Urawa Red Diamonds average 1.3 goals per game when playing away.

In the last 44 meetings, Sanfrecce Hiroshima has won 11 times, the Urawa Red Diamonds have won 22 times, and there have been 11 draws, with the goal difference being 68-48 in favor of the Urawa Red Diamonds. 

Sanfrece Hiroshima are undefeated in their last eight home matches and will undeniably fancy their chances of a positive result in this one to start off the season on a high. Having acquired the services of experienced Per-Mathias Høgmo, who led BK Häcken to their first ever Swedish title win while guiding them to the Europa League group stages, Urawa Red Diamonds will be hoping that his success rubs on them this season too.

While both teams will be looking to secure a crucial win, a tight contest is to be expected between two sides that showed resilience in the previous season. We're inclined to predict that the total number of corners will surpass 4.5 in the first half, which seems likely to occur.

• 1st Half Asian Corners - Over 4.5 for 1.92
• 1st Half - X for 2.02
• Total - Under 2.5 for 1.61