J2 League

Game 30

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-1 V-Varen Nagasaki

Saturday September 7th, 6:30 pm

IAI Nihondaira Satdium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Braga (50)

YELLOW CARDS Inui (55)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 16675

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Yamahara, Sumiyoshi, Takahashi, Kitazume

MF Carlinhos, Uno, Inui, Nakamura, Braga

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Yajima on for Carkinhos (79)

Nishihara on for Braga (79)

Yoshida on for Kitazume (86)

Hasukawa on for Kitagawa (86)

Miyamoto on for Nakamura (90 +4)

REPORT

NEXT GAME

Frustration!

We just threw away the best chance to distance ourselves once for all from our direct opponents for an automatic promotion spot, and this at home in front of one of the biggest fan crowds of the year! We not only dominated possession but had at least twice as many shots at goal and corner kicks, so what is the problem?

Why cannot we make things easier? We should have learned after last year’s nightmare…

It was Nagasaki who had their first chance in the 11th minute when they ran past our left flank to easily but the final kick just went wide of Gonda’s left post.

In the 17th minute, Yamahara after wrestling the ball from an opposing forward sent Carlinhos running along the left flank but the latter’s shot was just too weak to have any chance to beat Nagasaki’s keeper.

In the 20th minute S-Pulse were vey lucky to escape from a dangerous cross that could have been easily been converted from close range but for too acute an angle which allowed Gonda to repulse the shot with his body.

For all the possession it was Nagasaki who were the more dangerous and they proved it in the 24th minute when 3 S-Pulse defenders clumsily combined to give away the ball which was quickly sent across our goal to be finally converted into a very fine goal with the ball swerving past Gonda inside the far post.

In the 24th minute we allowed again a mid-range shot without much oof an opposition but luckily enough the ball flew past the far post.

In the 42nd minute Yamahara did well to send an excellent cross from the left flank but Inui’s poor finishing was not to beat the opposing goalkeeper.

In the 43rd minute a long clearance by Nagasaki’s goalkeeper took the whole defense flat and Gonda was relieved again to see the ball beat him but flying away past the far post.

In the 50th we benefitted from some luck when a clearance ricocheted into the path of Inui who sent the perfect pass inside the box for Braga to conclude with a sharp shot that the opposing keeper could only fend off inside the far corner of his goal.

It was basically all attack by S-Pulse from this point onward.

Inui’s long-range shot in the 68th minute missed the goal only by a whisker.

In the 82nd minute Yajima had the chance of the day when meeting a fine cross with his head a few meters from goal only to see the ball being blocked by the Nagasaki keeper’s superb fine.

For all their attempts until the very last seconds of the game, S-Pulse had nothing more to show for their outrageous domination.

Our next opponents, Renofa Yamaguchi is also fighting for a play off spot and will not make things a iota easier. This game may well decide the way we conduct the end of the season. At least we play it at home in front of our long-suffering but ever faithful supporters. Time to prove ourselves!

J2 League

Game 31

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Renofa Yamaguchi

Saturday September 14th, 6:30 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)