Urawa Reds will be disappointed if their pursuit of this season's J. League title comes to nothing, but attacking midfielder Tsukasa Umesaki has survived enough setbacks in his career to know that the bad times can be just as important as the good.
Reds head into this weekend's fixtures third in the table, six points behind leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima and three behind Saturday's opponent Vegalta Sendai with six games left to play. Urawa's title challenge has come as a surprise after escaping relegation only on the final day of last season, but the 2006 champions' capacity for self-destruction has still not been fully exorcized.
A 2-1 home defeat in the previous round of matches against already relegated Consadole Sapporo — whose demotion was sealed in record-fast time the week before — has threatened to derail Urawa's challenge, and Umesaki is determined to make amends.