For the third time in six years, Urawa Reds of Japan met Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal in the final of the AFC Champions League and, for the second time, the eastern team won. It was another tight contest: the first leg in Riyadh ended 1-1 on April 29, before the Reds took the second 1-0 in front of 53,574 delighted fans in Saitama Stadium a week later
It meant that instead of Al Hilal, who started the tie as defending champions,