Meiji Yasuda J1 League

Match 9

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-1 Vissel Kobe

Sunday April 11th 5 pm

NOEVIR Stadium Kobe, Hyogo

S-PULSE GOALS Elsinho(74)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

ATTENDANCE 8,350

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Hara, Suzuki, Elsinho, Okui

MF Nakayama, Kawai, Miyamoto, Nakamura

FW Suzuki, Santana

SUBSTITUTIONS

Shota Kaneko on for Keita Nakamura(75)

Ryo Takeuchi on for Yosuke Kawai(75)

Yusuke Goto on for Yuito Suzuki(75)

Valdo on for Ryo Okui(88)

Naoya Fukumori on for Teruki Hara(90+1)

REPORT

So close and still so far!

S-Pulse should have won that game with no less than 11 shots at goal against 5 for their opponents. And they almost gave it away at the end of the game but for a great save from Gonda who once again helped his new team to see the end of the day!

The tone was set in the 7th minute when Yuito Suzuki managed so well to steal a ball from a botched free kick by Vissel to beat everyone, goalkeeper included with his great speed and only managed to hit the post with no everyone behind him and an empty goal in front of him. He will have nightmares about it for a long time to come. Mind you, I have the impression that will make the teenager even more dangerous!

Then, in the 41st minute a great direct free kick by Santana hit the right post. In the 64th minute Santana proved his recent form by dribbling around the defense and unleash a great shot from outside the box which was only saved by some great goalkeeping.

Finally, in the 73rd minute S-Pulse scored a superb goal after Gonda had caught a corner kick before immediately sending the ball to Nakayama who ran down the middle of the field before serving Santana on his left who curled the perfect cross behind Vissel’s defense to find Elsinho who made sure of the goal this time.

But this all came to no avail when in the 88th minute S-Pulse offered a goal reminiscent of last year. And a very angry Gonda had to make the save of the day in the 94th minute to prevent Vissel from stealing a win against the run of the play!

Despite Hara getting injured in the last minute of the game, the team seems at last to find some rhythm even in the absence of injured Carlinhos thanks to a more enterprising Santana. New defender Mattheus will certainly come handy soon when he is fit.

The next game will be away against on Sunday on a revised schedule against Gamba Osaka. Time to win at at last!

NEXT GAME

Meiji Yasuda J1 League

Match 10

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Gamba Osaka

Sunday April 18th 5:00pm

Panasonic Stadium Suita, Osaka