[Urawa Reds Stadium Chronicles Part 3] The 'Red Devils' I saw at Saitama Stadium for the first time, and the 'Red Devils' that appeared again 15 years later

11 minutes into the second half of extra time. 4 minutes remaining until the end of the match.
In that 'moment of desperation' after conceding a goal to Jeonbuk Hyundai, the anthem that signals a decisive push rang out throughout the stadium.

The AFC Champions League 2022 knockout stage semifinal between Urawa Reds and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, held on August 25, 2022.


The 2022 Asian Champions League was held with the vast continent of Asia divided into East and West. The winner of this match would advance to the final held the following year. Jeonbuk Hyundai, belonging to South Korea's K-League, was the previous year's K-League champion and a powerhouse in Asia that had already been Asian champions twice.
Winning this match held great significance for both Urawa Reds and the Japanese football world. It was that kind of match.

I have been supporting Urawa Reds since the J-League began and have been a season ticket holder for over 25 years.
I left work early that day for a match we absolutely could not lose, and headed to Saitama Stadium in high spirits.

The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.
It went straight into extra time. Neither side scored in the first half of extra time.

The tense, nerve-wracking atmosphere continued.
It became a match where whoever scored in this second half of extra time would win.

The supporters' cheering grew even more intense.

I, too, jumped and shouted with all my might.

However...
11 minutes into the second half of extra time, we conceded a goal to Jeonbuk Hyundai.
It was a painful goal to concede.

A match played in extreme heat.
A goal conceded at a time when fatigue had peaked after nearly 120 minutes of intense battle.
It was a moment where it wouldn't have been strange for both the players and the supporters to lose heart and lose focus.

However...

The Urawa Reds supporters had not given up at all.

The moment we conceded, they started singing 'PRIDE OF URAWA'. For Urawa Reds supporters, this is a special song sung when it's time to make a decisive push or when victory is certain. It was a special song that is almost never sung when trailing, and it rang out through the stadium.

4 minutes remaining.

In this desperate pinch, every supporter in the stadium had not given up on victory.
The voices and applause that enveloped the stadium. That roar became heat, inspiring the players on the pitch and becoming a powerful force that refused to give up until the very end.

And then, a miracle happened.

15 minutes into the second half of extra time, just before the end of the match, forward Junker scored a dramatic equalizer!
It was a goal pushed in with pure spirit, as if the thoughts of all the supporters in the stadium had transferred into the ball.

A sound like an earthquake enveloped the stadium.

The enthusiasm in the stadium reached its peak.

Just like that, the second half of extra time ended.
After a 120-minute battle to the death, the match ended in a draw, leading to a penalty shootout to decide the winner.

It was already past 10:00 PM.
However, no one was trying to leave.

At this point, a movement occurred among the supporters.
As soon as it was decided that the match would go to a penalty shootout, the large and medium flags from all over the stadium gathered behind the goalpost on the north side where the shootout would take place.

This movement was not led by anyone in particular.

It happened because the common understanding that 'if it comes down to a penalty shootout, we do this' was deeply rooted among Urawa Reds supporters.
It was something that the supporters throughout the stadium acted upon consciously in an instant.

Even in the seats around me, when a supporter with a large flag moved toward the back of the goal, those around them applauded and sent them off, saying, 'We're counting on you.'

The many flags gathered behind the north goal.
The waves created by those flags moving in unison enveloped the goal like a living creature with a will of its own.

This red wave must have looked like 'Red Devils' to the opposing players taking the penalties. Furthermore, there was the loud booing erupting from the stands. And everyone spinning their towel scarves. It was truly a moment where every Urawa Reds supporter in the stadium was fighting for victory.

[2022 ACL Semifinal Jeonbuk Hyundai vs. Urawa Reds Penalty Shootout]

(I want you to watch the video of this, even if it's just the second half. It's truly incredible.)

Intense booing when the opposing player kicks.
Silence and an atmosphere of focus when a Urawa Reds player kicks.

The supporters in the stadium did this naturally.
Is there any other stadium in the world that can put this much pressure on an opponent during a penalty shootout?

In fact, there is a reason why Urawa Reds supporters were able to do this naturally. It lay in a successful experience from 15 years ago that remained in the supporters' memories and has been passed down.

[2007 ACL Semifinal Urawa Reds vs Seongnam Ilhwa Penalty Shootout]

The AFC Champions League semifinal held in 2007.


The opponent was Seongnam Ilhwa, the Korean champion team, just like this time.

That match also went into extra time as neither the home nor away games could decide the winner.
And since it was not decided even in extra time, it went to a penalty shootout.
During this penalty shootout, supporters all over the stadium cooperated to gather large flags behind the goal. They created the 'Red Devils' in the same way and won the penalty shootout.


Then, having won the semifinal, Urawa Reds rode that momentum to win the final as well. They became Asian champions for the first time.

This match remains in Urawa Reds history and has been passed down among supporters ever since.

The situation this time was exactly the same as it was 15 years ago.
Supporters who were there 15 years ago recalled those memories, and supporters who didn't know about that time knew about this match through stories passed down from those around them.

That is why everyone naturally moved in that way.

If we bring it to this situation, we will definitely not lose.
I don't feel like we'll lose.
And...

Because of this overwhelming stadium atmosphere, Urawa Reds won the penalty shootout.
They were able to defeat the formidable Jeonbuk Hyundai.

It was decided that Urawa Reds would advance to their fourth Asian Champions League final.

The supporters rejoiced while crying. They rejoiced in a chaotic mess.

And each of them held up their towel scarves high, dyed the stadium bright red, and sang the victory song 'We are Diamonds'.

The hard work of the players, who kept running until the very end in the sweltering heat, was also wonderful.
Furthermore, it was a victory seized by everyone—staff, supporters, ball boys, and all—united in heart as they cheered and fought.

This day became a historic night where the club's aspirations for the Asian Championship connected across 15 years of history.

And there, I found the image of the passionate stadium I had been chasing all along.

The 'Red Devils' I saw at the stadium for the first time and the 'Red Devils' that reappeared 15 years later

will surely remain in the memories of those who love Urawa Reds and be passed down through the generations.

End

(All photos were taken on August 25, 2022)

In this magazine, I write about increasing the enthusiasm of fans and supporters to create a passionate stadium.

#Diary#Essay#Column#JLeague#Sports#Soccer#Supporters#Cheering#Fans#SportsMarketing#Stadium#JapanNationalTeam#WorldCup#UrawaReds#FanBase #TheDayISawRedsForTheFirstTime