Shimizu S-Pulse 4-3 VEGALTA SENDAI
IAI Stadium Nihondaira, Shizuoka

S-PULSE GOALS Douglas(5), Kitagawa(20), Elsinho(45+4), Douglas(89)
YELLOW CARDS
RED CARDS
ATTENDANCE 12234

LINE UP
GK Nishibe
DF Elsinho, Seok Ho, Futami, Matsubara
MF Takeuchi, Musaka, Kaneko, Nakamura
FW Douglas, Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS
Tatsuta on for Elsinho (58)
Nishizawa on for Nakamura (67)
Kawai on for Kaneko (84)

REPORT
Are Shimizu S-Pulse trying to find the hardest way to win a game?
You might tend to believe it if you follow the score and the way it was achieved.

Not 2 minutes had passed and already S-pulse had conceded their classic soft goal. The whole defense was tricked by a long corner kick to find a Vegalta player completely unmarked who had all the time to shoot the ball in the top right corner.But only 3 minutes later Nakamura’s sweet change of side found Kaneko running at full speed and send the perfect cross for Douglas’ head.

In the 20^th minute Kitagawa was roughly pulled down to the ground earning a deserved penalty kick he coolly converted himself.But in the 37^th minute a quick counter found another completely unmarked Vegalta player who had all the time to curl in his shot once again in the top right corner.

At that time Sendai seemed to be about to control the game but the indefatigable S-pulse supporters screamed in joy in the 4^th minute of additional time when Matsubara decided to run back towards the center instead of trying to around the defense. He found Kitagawa whose through pass reached Elsinho who calmly scrambled past a defender before tapping the ball between the legs of the opposite goalkeeper.

S-pulse were leading at half time but only to find themselves on the receiving end of many dangerous attacks and in the 59th minute a Sendai cross managed to find a lone forward diving to head between three S-Pulse defenders.

Many thought at the time that Shimizu would satisfy themselves with protecting a draw but their fans kept pushing them on and a cross from Matsubara was headed back to Kitagawa who sent a peach of a cross for Douglas to sweetly head across the goal inside the far corner.

It left S-Pulse defending its advantage with teeth and nails but still keeping enough nerves to put up with the enormous pressure. On the other hand Vegalta for once lost their composure and one of their players was sent for repeated fouls.

It was a see saw game that could have gone either way. S-Pulse deserved their victory but only barely but this will prove an immense boost for the rest of the season. Kitagawa and Douglas have found again their ever dangerous association. Nakamura has contributed another dimension to the offense with his precise long passes. The whole team had shown more fighting spirit and courage than ever this season. When a couple of players will come back from injury and settle the defense, S-Pulse will be a very difficult to beat team!

But before that they will have to prove themselves again In Matsumoto next Saturday!Their fans will come in big numbers to push them on!

NEXT GAME
Meiji Yasuda J1 League
Match day 14
Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. vs Shimizu S-Pulse
Saturday June 1th, 6pm
SUNPRO ALWIN, MATSUMOTO