Football: Urawa beat Lee Man for chance to defend ACL title

Reigning Asian Champions League football champions Urawa Reds on Tuesday qualified for the 2023-24 ACL with a 3-0 victory over Hong Kong side Lee Man.

The Japanese club jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes, with Yoshio Koizumi’s third-minute opener and Shinzo Koroki’s header in an ACL playoff match at Saitama Stadium.

Second-half substitute Takahiro Sekine scored the Reds’ third in stoppage time.

The upcoming ACL season begins in September and continues through May.

Urawa will join fellow J-League first-division clubs Yokohama F Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale and second-division Ventf...