©︎︎︎S-PULSE
VISSEL KOBE 1-3 SHIMIZU S-PULSE
Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium, Kobe
S-PULSE GOALS Kitagawa19, Masuda26, Tese 57
YELLOW CARDS Rokutan 83
RED CARDS None
SHOTS 8
CORNER KICKS 4
FREE KICKS20
OFFSIDES 3
ATTENDANCE 17174
LINE UP
GK Rokutan
DF Shimizu, Inukai, Kakuda, Matsubara
MF Masuda, Takeuchi, Kaneko, Duke
FW Kitagawa, Tese
SUBSTITUTIONS
Shirasaki on for Duke (46)
Hasegawa on for Tese (89)
REPORT
Finally S-Pulse made it!And honestly speaking against all expectations (except mine? LOL)!
The first win in 8 games and a long way from home in which all players gave all they had knowing too well that only a win could keep them in the J 1 league next season as Ventforet Kofu, their nearest rivals only 2 points behind, would very probably win their home game.
In spite of a still makeshift team nonetheless reinforced with the return of Kakuda to settle the defense, they showed the grit and resolve that we witnessed only once at home when they beat Cerezo Osaka after being led 2-0 at half time, all the time supported by no less than 3500 faithful fans.
The usual slow start saw Vissel taking the lead as early as the 13th minute but young Kitagawa showed another facet of his talent when he scored a direct free kick In the 19th minute. The second goal came in the 26th minute after Kakuda's free kick was deflected by Chong Tese to Masuda who shot the ball low past a helpless keeper.
S-Pulse scored again early enough in the second half, the 57th minute to be more precise, when a free kick by Matsubara was headed along by Kitagawa to find Chong Tese heading home to build a cushion on which they could safely rely upon when soaking continuous attacks in the last quarter of the game.
For the first time in a long time the team showed real cohesion both in sustained defense and during the few attacking periods they benefitted from. This last game also showed real promise with the youth of Kitagawa and experience of Chong Tese finally jellying and the assurance that if all defenders are fit they will be a force to be recognized with next year especially with a healthy number of new faces to be expected!
