Levain Cup

Group B

Match 3

Shimizu S-Pulse 2-1 Hiroshima Sanfrecce

Saturday March 26th 2:00pm

EDION Stadium, Hiroshima

S-PULSE GOALS Kololli (20), Hara (38)

YELLOW CARDS Goto (47)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 2082

LINE UP

GK Okubo

DF Hara, Valdo, Tatusta, Yamahara

MF Katayama, Shirasaki, Takeuchi, Goto

FW Kololli, Kamiya

SUBSTITUTIONS

Yoshinori Suzuki on for Valdo (46)

Nakayama on for Katayama (67)

Takahashi on for Goto (67)

Chiba on for Kolloli (71)

REPORT

Almost an angry victory!

A strange match played in Dantesque torrential rain which made the game difficult for all and luck or misfortune played a big role in the final result.

But S-Pulse had come to win that game at all costs typified by a new-look Kololli who had cut his image mark pony tail and sported a boxer’s pate over an angry face, keen as he was to prove his worth after a turbulent beginning of the season.

And he finally did it by scoring his first goal for his new club in the 20th minute when Shirasaki sent him through to run past two defenders before unleashing a powerful middle-range shot under the roof of the net which gave no chance to the opposite goalkeeper as it had the luck to be slightly deflected by the last defender’s extended foot.

All the while Shimizu had to contend with strong Hiroshima attacks who almost had three times as many shots on target than S-Pulse.

But it was the latter who scored the second goal in the 38th minute when a free kick from outside the box flew in front of everyone except the last defender who somehow kicked it back weakly in front of Hara who did not ask so much, calmly slotting in a fateful goal.

The rest of the game was an attrition battle between an ever-attacking Hiroshima and a Shimizu defense fighting them off with nails and teeth.

But in the 63rd minute the weather again and bad luck played another part in this unusual match when S-Pulse conceded another corner kick. Shimizu’s defense for once was caught off guard by a ball swerving in the rain before it bounced from a Hiroshima’s forward’s back who could not believe his luck when he saw the ball somehow inside the opposite goal.

S-Pulse did well to defend their meagre advantage and were helped along by great keeping by Okubo who at least once rescued his club with the save of the day.

Once again, the game was played with available players but next game away at Kashima on Saturday for the 6th Day of the J1 League should see a few welcome comebacks.

A thing is certain: S-Pulse do not shirk from a fight!

NEXT GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League

Match 6

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Kashima Antlers

Saturday April 2nd 4:00pm

Kashima Soccer Stadium, Kashima