S-PULSE 3-2 Cerezo Osaka
IAI Stadium Stadium, Shizuoka


S-PULSE GOALS Kaneko 51, Kitagawa 60, Kitagawa 73
YELLOW CARDS Edamura 31, Kanu 84
RED CARDS 
ATTENDANCE 12324


LINE UP

GK Rokutan
DF Kamata, Kanu, Futami, Matsubara
MF Edamura, Takeuchi, Duke, Kaneko
FW Hasegawa, Kitagawa


SUBSTITUTIONS

Freire on for Hasegawa (86)
Muramatsu on for Kaneko (88)
Murata on for Kitagawa (90+1)


REPORT

What a comeback! A game that will certainly stay in the annals of the club for a long time!

Facing the current leader of the J1 League, S-Pulse started well enough with an early clear chance unfortunately wasted by a very poor kick a few meters from goal. That set the picture for the whole first half with S-Pulse creating as many chances and shots at goal as Cerezo, but the latter showed clinical finish with a little help of a panicking defense and a slightly controversial refereeing.  The fans were subdued and fast becoming fatalistic about an inevitable issue. 2 nil behind at half time would be quite unsurmountable short of a miracle.

But the second half started on a completely different note with S-Pulse throwing all cautions to the wind and taking risks that created unusual panic in a Cerezo defense celebrated for its stinginess. Hasegawa had a goal disallowed but the very next attack ended with the reward of a penalty kick taken by Kaneko. S-Pulse missing two strikers for that particular game naturally opened the game on both wings and it paid off handsomely with first Kitagawa striking gold with a sharp low shot from the right corner of the box into the far post and became again the hero of the day by back heeling a fine cross by Matsubara dissecting Cerezo right flank. Having achieved the impossible S-Pulse concentrated on their defense with tooth and nail, the skin of their teeth and a little luck until the final whistle to the screams of delight of their fans!

If they play like that every game S-Pulse will have little to worry about and their future opponents will take notice that they are not pushovers any longer. It will certainly add some greatly needed spice to the whole League!

Their fans who have shown great stolidity and resolve from the very beginning of this season certainly deserve it and will flock the tiers this Sunday!


NEXT LEAGUE GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Match day 22
S-PULSE vs Kashiwa Reysol
Sunday August 13th, 6pm
IAI Stadium Stadium, Shizuoka