Urawa Red Diamonds vs Kyoto Sanga Prediction: Sanga Are Likely To Get On The Scoreboard But That Won't Be Enough To Avoid Defeat!

Urawa Red Diamonds welcome Kyoto Sanga to Saitama Stadium in the 27th round of the J1 League.

With a poor head-to-head track record against their opponents in this impending encounter, Kyoto Sanga will still be hopeful about their prospects of causing an upset by claiming a win away from home, which will enable them to move up the standings.

Let's have a look at the latest J1 League predictions between Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Kyoto Sanga, probable lineups, match facts and betting odds for you to consider!

Note: Odds are subject to change at any time!

Urawa Red Diamonds

Form: DWWLD

Urawa Red Diamonds managed to get the job done in the second leg of the J.League YBC Levain Cup quarterfinal as a Bryan Linssen brace and a Keisuke Kurokawa own goal saw them claim a comfortable 3-0 win against Gamba Osaka at the Saitama Stadium, achieving a commanding 4-0 aggregate success to seal themselves a ticket in the semi-final.

In the league, their last match was a 1-1 draw against Niigata on the road, where Alexander Scholz's converted penalty in the 38th minute was pegged back by Yota Komi's strike in the 81st minute, a result that was fitting given their unconvincing display. This outcome comes eleven days after booking a spot in the group stages of the AFC Champions League by defeating Lee Man 3-0 in a one-legged playoff at home.

Urawa Reds have been struggling for consistency, having won just two of their seven matches alongside three draws and two losses. However, some positivity can be taken from their home form at the Saitama Stadium, where they've stood tall and undeterred, going unbeaten in eight matches and recording four wins and four draws since a 2-0 defeat against Sagan Tosu on May 10th. It goes without saying that they'll want to capitalize on their impressive showing at home by getting back to winning ways.

They currently occupy 5th place with 45 points, level with 4th-placed Cerezo Osaka, and are one point adrift of Nagoya in third place. Their bid for a first-place finish is hindered by a seven-point deficit.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

S. Nishikawa; T. Akimoto, M. Hoibraten, A. Scholz, H. Sakai; K. Iwao, A. Ito; T. Sekine, Y. Koizumi, T. Okubo; J. Kante

Kyoto Sanga

Form: LWWLL

Kyoto Sanga made the trip to Misaki Park Stadium, where they locked horns with table-toppers Vissel Kobe, and unfortunately for them, they were on the receiving end of a 2-1 defeat.

With this defeat, their prospects of making it to three consecutive wins slipped through their fingers, having edged Consadole Sapporo 3-0 and Avispa Fukuoka 2-0 beforehand, with both wins coming at home.

Kyoto Sanga have not been at their best when playing away, as they have yet to meet expectations. They have lost three consecutive matches and are winless in four since a 3-1 victory against Albirex Niigata on June 11th. However, that's not all there is to their poor performance on the road, as they have lost eight of their thirteen matches.

They currently occupy 14th place with 29 points, level with 15th-placed Niigata and three points behind a 12th-place finish, which is occupied by Consodale Sapporo.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-1-2-3

Gu Sung-yun; S. Fukuda, S. Asada, O. Iyoha, Y. Misao; D. Kaneko; S. Kawasaki, S. Takeda; Y. Toyokawa, T. Hara, T. Matsuda

Match Facts

• Urawa Red Diamonds are unbeaten in their five matches across all competitions.
• Kyoto Sanga have scored a goal in nine of their thirteen away matches in J1 League.
• Urawa Red Diamonds average 1.58 goals per game when playing at home, and Kyoto Sanga average 1.15 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

In the last 16 meetings, Urawa Red Diamonds have won 9 times, Kyoto Sanga have won 2 times, and there have been 5 draws, with the goal difference being 32-11 in favor of Urawa Red Diamonds.

Expert Betting Tips

Urawa Red Diamonds have been remarkable at home, where apart from an eight-match unbeaten run, they have only suffered one defeat in thirteen matches, and that's more than enough motivation to see them get back to winning ways in front of their supporters.

Kyoto Sanga, who have been in poor form when playing away in the league, will have their work cut out for them in their bid for a favorable outcome. Their away struggles have also been evident in this fixture, where they have failed to win any of their last seven matches, picking up four losses and three draws, depicting a side that won't pose a threat in this one.

Despite a poor showing from Kyoto Sanga in their away matches, we still anticipate them getting on the scoreboard against a side that has conceded a goal in eight of their twelve home matches, though that won't be enough to avoid defeat. As such, expect goals to be seen at both ends of the pitch.

• Both Teams To Score - Yes for 1.97
• Goals - Over 2.5 for 2.05
• Full-time Result - Urawa Red Diamonds for 1.67