Urawa Reds advanced to the final of the Asian Champions League for the first time since 2007 with a 2-1 aggregate win over China's Shanghai SIPG after winning Wednesday's semifinal second leg 1-0.
Rafael Silva scored in the 11th minute to put Urawa ahead at Saitama Stadium following a 1-1 draw in the Sept. 27 first leg, and the J. League side kept Shanghai's expensively assembled Brazilian trio of Oscar, Hulk and Elkeson quiet for the rest of the game to book its place in the final.
Reds will now face Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal in the two-legged title match on Nov. 18 and 25 — with the second leg in Saitama — 10 years after they became the first Japanese team to win the trophy in the competition's current format.
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