Soccer: Urawa Reds, FC Tokyo open season with 1-1 stalemate
February 27, 2021 (Mainichi Japan)
FC Tokyo defender Masato Morishige, far right, reacts after scoring the equalizer against the Urawa Reds in their 1-1 draw at Saitama Stadium on Feb. 27, 2021. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Masato Morishige netted a late equalizer Saturday as FC Tokyo salvaged a 1-1 draw and denied new Urawa Reds manager Ricardo Rodriguez a winning start to his J-League first-division career.
The opening-round match at Saitama Stadium featured two teams with their sights on a title after falling short of expectations last season.
FC Tokyo, 2019 runners-up, are aiming for a maiden J1 crown under fourth-year manager Kenta Hasegawa, while two-time Asian champions Urawa have big hopes for highly touted Spaniard Rodriguez, whom they lured from Tokushima Vortis after he steered the Shikoku club to J1 promotion.