Urawa Reds defeat Mito Hollyhock following early red card

In a J1 League match, Urawa Reds secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Mito Hollyhock. The match was significantly impacted in the 10th minute when Mito midfielder Taishi Senba received a red card following a VAR review. The incident occurred during a midfield challenge where Senba stepped on Urawa midfielder Itsuki Seko; while initially issued a yellow card, the referee upgraded the decision to a red card after an on-field review.

Playing with ten men, Mito Hollyhock maintained a defensive block for much of the match, supported by several key saves from goalkeeper Jakub Swobik. Despite Urawa Reds dominating possession and creating multiple opportunities, the score remained 0-0 throughout regulation time.

The deadlock was finally broken in stoppage time. In the 90+4 minute, MF Shudai Sasa scored a header from a cross delivered from the right side, marking his first goal in the J1 League and securing all three points for Urawa.