The 3/4 playoff at the FIFA Club World Cup throws up an intriguing clash between Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel and local outfit Urawa Reds. The Reds will go into the match as heavy favourites, but a clash with Etoile could well and truly test the mettle of Urawa, who would no doubt like to sign off as the tournament's third best team.

Etoile qualified for the semi-finals after a surprise 1-0 win over Mexican side Pachuca. A 1-0 defeat at the hands of Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors followed, but the African champions will be keen for one last crack at glory before they head home.

Urawa had a slightly easier time in defeating Iranian side Sepahan 3-1 in their opening fixture at the tournament, before going down 1-0 to reigning European champions AC Milan in the semi-final. They'll have "home" advantage in this one, but Etoile fans will be quick to point out that all the pressure will be on the Reds at Yokohama International Stadium. Indeed, now is the time for Urawa to prove their international credentials, after they spent much of the season talking themselves up as Asia's "biggest club."

Another who'll be looking to prove himself in this match is Etoile striker Amine Chermiti. The slightly-built front man has looked Etoile's most dangerous player so far, but the Tunisians have scored only once through Ghanian midfielder Moussa Narry. Should Chermiti be dreaming of a career in Europe then he may well need to get on the scoresheet against Urawa to prove that he can mix it on the international stage.

One man who has proved his worth is Urawa striker Washington. He leaves the club bound for Brazilian outfit Fluminese after tomorrow's match, and how he must wish that Brazilian compatriot Robson Ponte was not ruled out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a serious knee injury. Ponte has arguably been Urawa's most effective player this season, but injuries that struck down he and combative captain Nobuhisa Yamada severely weakened the Reds for their Club World Cup campaign - although Yamada could return to the starting eleven tomorrow. Nevertheless Washington will be determined to end his career in Japan on a successful note, after scoring some 64 league goals in just 85 J-League appearances for both Tokyo Verdy and Urawa - not to mention plenty of goals in Urawa's various cup campaigns.

Thus a fascinating battle should ensure between two sides hell-bent on ending their FIFA Club World Cup campaign on a high. For the 100 or so Etoile fans that are still in Tokyo, a win over Urawa would cap a memorable tournament. For Urawa's army of fans, a win is almost a must against a team that few expected to make an appearance on the final day of the tournament. With Yokohama International Stadium likely to be packed for the encounter, the Reds might suddenly experience a sense of deja vu, and they'll hope that yet another day of reckoning does not end in tears.

Although the expected result materialised in this game, the manner of it was far from predictable. It was not a walkover for Milan. Urawa moved and passed sharply, defended tenaciously, and threatened repeatedly in a game that was eventually decided by the individual talents of Kaka and Seedorf.

In the 68th minute, the Urawa defence were sleeping as Pirlo took a quick free-kick from the centre circle, releasing Kaka down the left. The Brazilian, who had to work hard all night to be effective, was given an easy ride and acres of space by the defender and he powered towards the touchline before pulling a low cross back across the box.

Seedorf, having been thwarted repeatedly by the Urawa keeper Tsuzuki, finally put one it with a firm sidefoot and that more or less ended the game.

Urawa had threatened repeatedly throughout the game, with incisive, creative passing, and lots of movement off the ball. Unfortunately their 32-year old Brazilian striker Washington looked more like he was 45 years old, and was especially ineffective when up against Nesta & co. It didn't help that due to a combination of nervousness and excitment, several Urawa players opted to shoot from impossible angles and ridiculous distances for large parts of the game, when a little bit of composure and vision would have helped.

Still, Urawa were worth a goal. Yamada worked a sharp shooting chance when he came on, Nene wasted a header, Washington opted to try and curl a fancy shot with a clear sight of goal when power would have sufficed, and Nagai and Suzuki both fluffed good chances.

Once they conceded the goal however, Milan simply took control and killed off the game. Whilst Urawa managed to compete well with the Italian side on a technical level, they were always struggling on the physical side of things. At the back, they were good value. Nene is a tall athlete, Tsuboi is powerful, and led by the exuberant Tulio they were able to deal with the power and pace of the Milan attacks. However, the midfield was another story. Everytime Milan had the ball, Urawa had 2 or 3 players trying to win the ball back, because they couldn't cope with the physiques of the Milan players. At 0-0 there was no urgent need to win the ball in midfield, so they held their own with positioning and movement. However after going a goal down, Milan started to pass the ball around their midfield and defence, and Urawa had no answer. Pirlo , Ambrosini, Seedorf, Oddo and Jankulovski were all too strong and athletic for Urawa to win the ball back, and Ambrosini in particular seemed to outmuscle every Urawa player on the pitch.

Ultimately, it was the same old story, one of the age old failings of Japanese football, and sadly not something that can be easily rectified. The Japanese have been criticised over the years of not being physical and competitive enough. It seems that over the past 6 or 7 years, they have really worked on this aspect of the game, and players like Inamoto, Toda, Suzuki, Tusboi, and Tulio have a fantastic competitive streak. However, in terms of physique, there is not much that one can do when faced by Europeans or South Americans who are a good deal taller and bulkier than the Japanese. Japanese footballers on average are incredibly mobile, but this isn't too helpful in ball-winning situations, and when chasing a game. 

It's all over here in Yokohama, and as expected European champions AC Milan have progressed to the final of the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup, where they will meet Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

Clarence Seedorf scored the only goal of the match, after Kaká beat his Brazilian compatriot Fabio Nene for pace before cutting back a superb ball for Dutch international Seedorf to sidefoot beyond Ryota Tsuzuki in the Urawa goal.

The goal was no less than Milan deserved, although they were from overwhelming against a team that they were expected to dominate. Indeed, Urawa gave an excellent account of themselves and Japanese football on the night, with the Reds - and their band of vociferous fans, likely to have won many admirers.

The defeat brings a sad end to the Urawa career of ex-Brazil international Washington, who leaves the club to join Brazilian giants Fluminese. Washington was confined to half-chances throughout, and he was unable to deal with the pace at the back of Italian international Alessandro Nesta.

Milan have two rest days before they meet Boca Juniors in the final at Yokohama International Stadium, while Urawa fans have one last chance to see Washington in action when Urawa take on Etoile du Sahel in the 3/4 playoff.

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.
 

As expected, all tickets have been sold for clash between Urawa Reds and AC Milan at the 72,327 capacity Yokohama International Stadium.

It's a cold, grey afternoon in Yokohama but that won't stop fans from turning out in their tens of thousands to witness this highly anticipated clash.

Yokohama International Stadium - otherwise known as Nissan Stadium on non-FIFA matchdays, is the home of Yokohama F. Marinos and saw its largest crowd of the last J-League season when 53,916 fans turned out to witness Yokohama F. Marinos smash cross-town rivals Yokohama FC 8-1.

The stadium was the venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final, which saw Brazil beat Germany 2-0 thanks to a brace from Ronaldo. Whilst the stadium no doubt holds fond memories for O Fenômeno, he will take no part in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup after coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed that the Brazilian striker's calf injury would not heal in time for him to take part in Sunday's final. 

Considering the fact that the stadium in Toyota City was half-empty on Monday night, the noise levels generated by the two pockets of Urawa fans were fantastic. Rehearsed, coordinated, effervescent and loud, it was a non-stop display of support for their team.

That night in Toyota was an unfortunate one for Urawa fans, because the majority come from Tokyo and Yokohama, and it was an impossible commute for many given that the game was on a weeknight, and that Toyota is so far away. They were also playing Sepahan, which hardly made for an attractive trip to the middle of nowhere.

Tonight however is a different prospect. The grander, larger Nissan stadium in Yokohama is easily accessible from Tokyo and Saitama (where Urawa are from). The best part is that Urawa, being a sort of Manchester United of Japan (their fans aren't from where the team are), have their largest fanbase in Yokohama, so all things considered, we should be witnessing an absolutely packed stadium and roaring support for Urawa, right?

Well, no. It's not that simple.

The bone in the kebab in this case, is the Japanese people's love of all things glamorous, famous and superstarry. I witnessed it first-hand last year when Barcelona played here, and the stadium was a sea of blaugrana shirts, with a rumbling whisper of adoration/excitement for Ronaldinho that exploded into "Oohs" and "Aahs" every time he did anything - whether it was a trick, a shot, a tackle or even kicking someone, miscontrolling the ball, or falling flat on his arse. The teams didn't matter, the football didn't matter, only the stardom did.

This year, there's no Ronaldinho, but there's Kaka. There's no Deco, but there's Seedorf. There's Maldini, there's Nesta, there's Pirlo... the names just go on and on. If you're talking about fame, glamour and stardom, AC Milan have all of those in abundance.

And here lies the problem. Urawa being a very populist team, means that a lot of the fans that would be neutrals or occassionals tend to support them. However against Milan all of those neutrals will quite likely have their allegiances tested. Milan have also been staying in Yokohama for the past week, and the locals have regularly been watching them train and play, and they've also played in Yokohama and Tokyo several times before in the previous Intercontinental Cup, so they already have a fairly large following in the local area.

On a technical level, there is only a very slight chance that Urawa will be able to get a result against Milan. There is also the worry with Japanese teams and players, that they will sink into the over-respectful, gracious mode that they tend to go into when faced with superior, more exalted opposition. Holger Osieck has worked hard to give Urawa a really tenacious edge to their game, it would be a pity to see Keita Suzuki not trying to chop down Kaka, or being apologetic about doing so. The players will all be nervous, and they will need the fans to help them retain their edge.

So it is absolutely essential that Urawa go into this game with a 40-50,000 strong bunch of supporters, because otherwise the silence and casual support for Milan is going to create a very, very strange atmosphere for them, one in which they might just lose their way, and which would be very disappointing for the fans watching around the world, who would miss out on a chance to see just how great the REAL Japanese football fans are.

Where were the fans? This apparently vast, massive army of Urawa fans? They weren't at Toyota Stadium.

A number of factors contributed to the swathe of empty seats visible throughout the 33,263 crowd at Toyota Stadium tonight.

The first is that the city of Nagoya lies around 400km (249 miles) from Urawa's home town of Saitama.

If this fixture had been played at the National Stadium in Tokyo - a favourite stamping ground of Urawa's, the match would have been sold out weeks in advance.

The second, and perhaps more important factor, was that this match was played on a weeknight. Had the game taken place on a Sunday afternoon - instead of a Monday night, then thousands more Urawa fans would invariably have made the long journey to Nagoya.

Yet I can't help but feel that the unsavoury jeering aimed at opposition players by Urawa fans is also a contributing factor for any neutral fans weighing up the decision to make their way to Toyota Stadium on a cold December night. Indeed, Urawa's self-proclaimed role as the "Manchester United of Japanese football" probably contains an unintended swipe - Urawa are as hated in Japan as they are popular.

The Urawa fans who did make their way to Toyota Stadium were in their usual fine voice - on their day, there's no louder bunch of fans in Japanese football. Yet their penchant for booing away teams and the number of self-styled "hooligans" who call Urawa their team, no doubt saw some football fans put their feet up and watch this match on TV from the comfort of their homes.

Keita Suzuki and co were too strong for Sepahan for the second time in two months, beating the Iranian side 3-1 at Toyota Stadium.

A Yuichiro Nagai strike just after the half hour mark put Urawa in control and made up for an atrocious miss from midfielder Makoto Hasebe only minutes earlier, after he inexplicably volleyed wide from just outside the six yard box.

In the second half Urawa lead a procession towards Mohammed Savari's goal, with former Brazilian international Washington finishing superbly after he rounded Savari to sweep home from the tightest of angles. 

Hadi Aghily scored his second own goal in as many FIFA Club World Cup games, but substitute Shinji Ono repaid the favour to Sepahan, when his woeful pass in midfield was intercepted and eventually tapped home by fellow substitute Mahmoud Karimi - to the  obvious annoyance of Urawa goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki, who turned in another assured performance at the back.

An added bonus for Urawa coach Holger Osieck was the form of youngsters Takahito Soma and Hajime Hosogai. Ex-Tokyo Verdy starlet Soma was a constant menace when he marauded forward from the back, and it was his excellent run and cross to Yuichiro Nagai that sent Urawa on their way. Japan under-22 international Hosogai also turned in an assured performance at the back, to suggest that he has a bright future at the Saitama giants. 

Urawa Reds are Japan's most popular club.

They play at the 63,000 capacity Saitama Stadium and the 20,000 capacity Komaba Stadium, and drew an average attendance of 46,667 fans between the two grounds in the J-League this season.

Urawa have won the J-League once in 2006, the Emperor's Cup twice in 2005 and 2006 and the League Cup in 2004. They are the reigning AFC Champions League champions.

Key players

Ryota Tsuzuki - Goalkeeper: The ex-Gamba Osaka shot-stopper had a superb 2007, conceding the fewest number of goals in the J-League and helping propel Urawa to the Asian crown. He has done so playing behind an injury-riddled defence, with Urawa often playing two former midfielders in their back four.

Marcus Tulio Tanaka - Central Defence: The Brazilian-raised Japan international is one of the most aggressive players in the J-League and a tower of strength at the back. His tendency to raid forward at every opportunity occasionally leaves Urawa exposed in defence, but means that Tulio is often counted on when Urawa need to throw players into attack.

Keita Suzuki - Defensive Midfield: The gritty Keita Suzuki is the heart and soul of this Urawa team and indispensable to coach Holger Osieck's game plans. Suzuki is a classic "number six," acting as a screen in front of the back four and setting the tempo when Urawa are streaming forward.

Washington - Striker: The fiery ex-Brazil international has been Urawa's top scorer for two seasons now. Often criticised for not being a team player, the former Fenerbahce striker can nevertheless be relied upon to score goals when they are needed.

Weaknesses

Yuki Abe - Defence: Whether in central defence or on the left side of a back four, Yuki Abe has had a forgettable season since his $US3 million switch from league rivals JEF United. Abe's errors have put consistent pressure on the Urawa defence, and the former defensive midfielder has never looked settled since being pushed into the back four by coach Osieck.

Current form

Urawa's current form is dreadful. They picked up just three points from a possible fifteen in their last five J-League matches to see bitter rivals Kashima Antlers snatch the J-League title on the final day of the season. They were also knocked out of the Emperor's Cup as defending champions by J2 side Ehime FC on November 28. The Reds are down on confidence, and they'll need their army of fans to act as their twelfth man in this showdown with Sepahan.

Injuries

The Reds have had a dreadful run of injuries over the back end of the season. Robson Ponte has been ruled out for six months with serious knee ligament damage, prompting coach Holger Osieck to demand that former Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono step up in Ponte's absence.

Also under an injury cloud is captain Nobuhisa Yamada, whose participation in this match is doubtful. Tatsuya Tanaka is rated a 50/50 chance of playing - Washington may be Urawa's top goal scorer, but the explosive Tanaka is arguably Urawa's most dangerous striker. Takahito Soma is another player to have missed a considerable part of the season through injury, while midfielder Tadaaki Hirakawa was missing for part of the title run-in, but both players look set to play some part against Sepahan tonight.