S-PULSE 1-1 Omiya Ardija
IAI Stadium Nihondaira, Shizuoka


S-PULSE GOALS Shirasaki 87
YELLOW CARDS Murata 33, Iida 90+4
RED CARDS None
ATTENDANCE 16227


LINE UP

GK Rokutan
DF Kamata, Inukai, Futami, Matsubara
MF Musaka, Notsuda, Murata, Shirasaki, Kaneko
FW Tese


SUBSTITUTIONS

Tiago on for Kaneko (63)
Edamura on for Notsuda (72)
Duke on for Kamata (81)


REPORT

S-Pulse were held to a home draw by a resurgent Omiya Ardija on Sunday, a result the visitors gladly took back home to Saitama, but left the hosts frustrated they couldn’t make more of their dominance.

The guests arrived having lost their opening six games of the season, while Shimizu were fresh off a rare away win at Kashiwa. Given each team’s respective form, the early strike from Omiya’s Esaka sent shockwaves around the IAI Nihondaira Stadium. The Squirrels’ midfielder rose to beat Futami, cleanly nodding the ball past Rokutan to send a disbelieving traveling support delirious.

For much of the remainder of the game S-Pulse took control, attempting to find a way back, but that notwithstanding, the best chance of the 1^st half to add to the score sheet came for the Saitama side. Only a fantastic reaction save from Rokutan denied Esaka adding to his tally. The more time passed, the greater the resolve of Omiya became to not let slip a crucial three points on their quest to avoid relegation. Saitama hearts were shattered with just three minutes remaining however, thanks to Shimizu number 10 ace Shirasaki. Connecting with a low cross from the right, Kato in the away goal was powerless to stop Tokyo-born Shirasaki’s deft flick into the far corner of the net.

All square was how the game ended, a point which maintained Shimizu’s solid midtable standing, but left the 16000-plus crowd still waiting for the season’s first home win of 2017. The games continue to come thick and fast, your orange heroes travelling to Kawasaki on Friday night for an always-tough visit to Todoroki Stadium. A victory has the potential to raise S-Pulse up as high as 4^th before the main clutch of J1 games are played over the weekend.

Forza S-Pulse!


NEXT GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Match Day 8
Kawasaki vs S-PULSE
Friday April 21st, 7pm
Todoroki Stadium, Kawasaki