Half-time: Urawa Reds 0 - 0 AC Milan
Thursday, 13 December 07, 05:16 AM · Comments(0)
It's a clear night here at Yokohama International Stadium, after the rain of this morning gave way to milder conditions in the evening.
I made my way to the ground following a typically harrowing journey on the Tokyo train system. Four changes and a possible fractured spine later and I made it just in the nick of time to catch Urawa's army of fans kick into overdrive. If ever there were any doubts that Japanese football fans are some of the most passionate and colourful in the world, they've been dispelled tonight, as Urawa's Red Army are churning out an extraordinary atmosphere here in Yokohama.
The game so far has been a cagey affair, with Urawa clearly wary of committing too many men forward. Several times they've had the chance to counter attack only to hold the ball up in midfield, with Holger Osieck's men no doubt concerned by the threat of Alberto Gilardino up front for Milan.
All of the Rossoneri's good play has come down the right hand side, with Carlo Ancelotti clearly instructing defender Massimo Oddo to run at Urawa's young Takahito Soma and keep him occupied in defence. Kaká has shown some silky touches so far, and his interplay with Clarence Seedorf has threatened to open the Urawa defence on occasion.
Nevertheless the Reds are holding their own, and with Keita Suzuki orchestrating proceedings in midfield and the dangerous Washington at the point
of attack, the Saitama giants look capable of snatching a goal. Indeed, with giant striker Washington Fluminese-bound, the Reds will want to send their fiery target man out on a high, and with the
second half still to play and the scores locked at 0-0, they're on course to do so.
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Follow the adventures of me, SM, and the two Tokyo Blogging contest winners, manogil and MikeTuckerman, as we take on Japan and cover the FIFA Club World Cup 2007. News, Reviews, Photos and hopefully a few interviews!
