Meiji Yasuda J1 League

Match 4

Shimizu S-Pulse 0-0 Sagan Tosu

Sunday March 14th 2:00pm

IAI Staium Nihondaira, Shizuoka

S-PULSE GOALS

YELLOW CARDS Hara(52)

RED CARDS

ATTENDANCE 7715

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Tatsuta,Vald, Suzuki, Hara

MF Nakamura, Kawai, Renatto, Carlinos

FW Thiago, Suzuki

SUBSTITUTIONS

Goto on for Suzuki(64)

Takeuchi on for Renato(64)

Disaro on for Thiago(72)

Nakamura on for Kawai(72)

Nishizawa on for Carlinos(83)

REPORT

A draw extracted out of nowhere with the skin of our teeth!　

This year’s Sagan Tosu are a far cry from last year’s struggling team, and very young at that. They might prove as the dark horses of the year!

The first half was pretty uneventful with most possession earned by Tosu and a Shimizu S-Pulse content to contain them in spite of a reshaped defense after Kakayama’s late injury forcing him to leave his place to Tatsuta while Renato at last operational took the place of Takeuchi and young Yuito Suzuki made his first start of the season.

S-Pulse even had a goal refused for a small but evident offside.

The second half saw Tosu take almost complete control of the game with S-Pulse defending with superb grit and a slice of luck. They even managed a close chance.

On the other hand, Tosu had 10 shots on target against one from Shimizu. It is not too much to say that new goalkeeper earned the draw almost all by himself with a string of great saves and some luck.

Gonda, who plays for Japan, was the first to recognize it was a point well-earned although the team will have to improve quickly.

Next game will take place on Wednesday in Hiroshima. A win there will prove that S-Pulse is really a different team from last year!

Note: Hwang Seok Ho who used to play for S-Pulse until last year before moving to Tosu made a splendid gesture by making a point to salute his former fans all around the pitch. Class!

NEXT GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League

Match 5

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima 

Wednesday March 17th 7:00pm

Edion Stadium, Hiroshima