New boss, same crisis: Marinos sink deeper (Urawa vs Yokohama FM analysis) | OneFootball

Urawa Clinch Third Straight Win as Yokohama FM Crisis Deepens

Match Report

Urawa Reds continued their impressive run of form with a comfortable 3-1 victory over crisis-hit Yokohama F. Marinos at Saitama Stadium 2002 on Sunday.

Goals from Matheus Sávio, Ryoma Watanabe and Danilo Boza secured Urawa's third consecutive league win, while Yokohama's brief second-half rally through Riku Yamane proved insufficient to prevent their winless run extending to seven matches.

The result was particularly painful for Yokohama FM, coming just two days after the dismissal of manager Stephen Holland, with interim boss Patrick Kisnorbo unable to orchestrate an immediate turnaround in fortunes.

Key Moments

Sávio broke the deadlock deep into first-half stoppage time, giving Urawa a lead their disciplined performance deserved despite Yokohama dominating possession.

The hosts doubled their advantage immediately after the restart through Watanabe, before Yamane briefly gave the visitors hope with a well-taken goal on 59 minutes, assisted by Asahi Uenaka.

Any prospect of a comeback was extinguished when Brazilian defender Boza, a January signing from Juventude, netted his first goal for Urawa with two minutes remaining, converting from Genki Haraguchi's assist.

Tactical Analysis

Maciej Skorża's Urawa side were clinical in their approach, making the most of their opportunities despite seeing just 39% of possession. Their threat from set-pieces was evident throughout, winning 10 corners to Yokohama's three.

Yokohama controlled the ball with 61% possession and superior passing accuracy (87% compared to Urawa's 79%), but managed only two shots on target from 12 attempts, highlighting their struggles in the final third.

Team News

Urawa's recent signings continue to make significant impacts, with Sávio and Boza both finding the net. The defensive partnership between Boza and Marius Høibråten has been particularly impressive during their recent winning streak.

For Yokohama, their problems were compounded when Ryo Miyaichi was forced off with an injury, adding to their woes ahead of a crucial AFC Champions League Elite quarterfinal against Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia on April 26.

Reaction

"Even with the manager change, nothing has changed. If we keep going like this, we'll be relegated," said a frustrated Anderson Lopes after the match, with Yokohama now sitting bottom of the J1 League for the first time since 2002.

Meanwhile, goalscorer Boza expressed his delight at opening his account for Urawa: "Scoring my first goal at Saitama Stadium was a special feeling. Our understanding as a team is growing with each match."

Context

The victory marks Urawa's fourth consecutive home win, demonstrating their recovery from a slow start to the season under Polish manager Skorża.

For Yokohama, the defeat marks a dramatic fall from grace for a club that has been a title contender in recent seasons. Captain Takuya Kida led a players-only meeting after Holland's dismissal, but their immediate response on the pitch fell short.