FC TOKYO 0-0 S-PULSE  
Ajinomoto Stadium


S-PULSE GOALS None
YELLOW CARDS Shirasaki 45
RED CARDS None
SHOTS 10
CORNER KICKS 11
FREE KICKS 11
ATTENDANCE 13417


LINE UP

GK Rokutan
DF Shimizu, Inukai, Futami, Matsubara
MF Kawai, Takeuchi, Duke, Shirasaki,
FW Kaneko, Kitagawa


SUBSTITUTIONS

Thiago on for kaneko (54)
Edamura on for Kitagawa (83)
Freire on for Kawai (86)


REPORT

So close and still so far!
Mind you, we stole another precious point away from home!It could have been better, but it might also have been worse!

S-Pulse followed its usual 4-4-2 strategy against FC Tokyo adopting a somewhat compact 3-4-3 formation.This match saw the return of Yosuke Kawai after an 8-month absence due to a bad Achilles tendon rupture injury and also that of Matsubara who suffered only a single game ban after his red card against Jubilo to give more solidity both in defense and midfield.

The first half saw only a chance headed wide by Inukai form a corner kick in the 37^th minute.

On the other hand the second half witnessed a marked domination with plenty of chances with Kitagawa saved in extremis by the opposite goal keeper. Rokutan’s goal was saved by a post when he found himself facing a forward one on one in the 77^th Minute. The 81^st minute saw not one but four chances in succession for S-Pulse who could not find the goal with attempts inside the box.  After that they contented themselves in defending their precious point although with almost twice as many shots at goal and corner kicks they will feel somewhat disappointed.

At least the defense and the midfield seemed to have discovered a new balance to build from. With a little more sharpness upfront the team should find itself vastly improved for the last games of the seasons.

Their two struggling opponents will have to win all their remaining three games to survive in the highest division of the Japan Soccer League while S-Pulse needs two wins out of three and probably only one if Hiroshima loses only one.

Therefore the next game against struggling Consadore Sapporo could well prove the season clincher!The fans will have an important role to play and we are expecting many to carry S-Pulse to new heights!


NEXT LEAGUE GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Match day 32
S-PULSE vs Consadore Sapporo
Saturday November 18th, 3pm
IAI Stadium Stadium, Shizuoka