Urawa Red Diamonds vs Tokyo Verdy 1969 Best odds and tips

Urawa Red Diamonds should have the momentum to edge this contest between two contrasting J League philosophies on Saturday. Maciej Skorza has done a fantastic job since taking over in September 2024, instilling defensive discipline and cohesion in a team that has risen up the table as a result. The Red Diamonds are currently fourth in the J League 2025 table with 22 points from 13 games and have won their last 4 games in all competitions. They beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima and 1623004 at home with consecutive shutouts and a 4-0 aggregate score last time out. Urawa Red Diamonds average 1.50 goals scored and only 0.83 conceded per home game in J League 2025, which tells you all you need to know about their balance between attack and defence. Skorza’s side are typically set up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, but whatever the shape, they are always disciplined, always organised and always ready to press as a unit.

Tokyo Verdy 1969 will try to frustrate them with their own brand of possession-based football, which is the philosophy of coach Hiroshi Jofuku. Coach Hiroshi Jofuku has been a disciple of possession football since taking over at Verdy in 2022. His team are 13th in the J League 2025 table with 17 points from 13 games and need to pick up some wins to climb higher in the standings. Verdy are unbeaten in their last three away games, including two goalless draws, which tells you they are a stubborn opponent on the road. Verdy’s 4-3-3 system is fluid and focused on patient possession, short passing, and positional rotations to open space and dictate the tempo. Hinata Kurose offers Tokyo Verdy creative flair in midfield, frequently orchestrating attacking moves and disrupting opposition lines.

Verdy’s most potent weapon is Yuto Tsunashima, who has scored three times in 12 league games this term, but Ryoma Watanabe, with four goals in nine, is Urawa’s top marksman in J League 2025. The Red Diamonds have the superior home record and are coming into this game with much more momentum, so we’re taking them to win at 1.80 in the moneyline market as opposed to Tokyo Verdy at 4.50, with the draw at 3.60. In the previous 2 head-to-head meetings in current competitions, Tokyo Verdy hold a win and a draw, while Urawa have yet to beat them, so that adds an extra dimension to this clash. Verdy have scored only 0.57 goals per game on the road in J League 2025, but conceded only 0.86, so under 2.5 goals is an interesting alternative bet given Urawa’s defensive form.