J2 League
Match 39
Shimizu S-Pulse 7-1 Iwaki
Saturday October 21st 2:00pm
Iwaki (Greenfield)
S-PULSE GOALS Nakayama (11, 30), Hara (32), Yamahara (59), Shirasaki (62), Kitazume (75), Kishimoto (90 +2)
YELLOW CARDS
RED CARDS
PENALTY KICK
ATTENDANCE 4801
LINE UP
GK Gonda
DF Yamahara, Suzuki, Takahashi, Hara
MF Carlinhos, Ronaldo, Inui, Shirasaki, Nakayama
FW Santana
SUBSTITUTIONS
Kitagawa on for Santana (60)
Kitazume on for Carlinhos (60)
Kishimoto on for Takahashi (64)
Miyamoto on for Ronaldo (64)
Kamiya on for Inui (76)
REPORT
Big win, but against a newly-promoted club whose season was practically finished as they already had secured their place in the J2 League next year.
But like the previous encounter in Shizuoka (9-1), S- Pulse was extremely clinical, even if they created twice as many chances.
They fielded the exact team that beat Jubilo two weeks ago in what could very well prove as the winner of the season. Only the bench saw some changes.
The game started quickly enough in the 11th minute with an enormous blunder by two Iwaki defenders who only managed to crash into each other in an effort to clear Gonda’s long clearance to leave Nakayama with a gift of a chance he did not miss firing from close range.
In the 30th minute it Inui feinted a pass from a clearance and let the ball run to Santana who healed it forward for Inui to chase. Iwaki’s goalkeeper having prematurely run out of his box, Inui ran past him along Iwaki’s right touch line to cross it to Carlinhos hose head was first cleared only to fall into Nakayama’s path again who made no mistake from short range.
In the 32nd minute Yamahara’s corner kick from the left side was punched away by the Iwaki keeper only to find a lurking Hara who volleyed the ball directly into a fine opportunistic goal.
In the 41st minute S-Pulse was caught flat-footed by a quick Iwaki’s counter with the last cross being met just outside he box for a fine goal in spite of an offside forward impeding Gonda, but Var is not used in J2 League.
The second half started in the same vein and in the 48th minute when Nakayama who had been sweetly sent past Iwaki’s left flank crossed for Santana whose first attempt was blocked by the keeper but the same Santana miscued the ball barely above the bar on the rebound.
In the 52nd minute Iwaki managed to struggle the ball forward only to see the last shot safely pouched by Gonda.
In the 58th minute a quick counter found Santana in the middle near the box to combine with Inui on his left who sent a fine pass to Yamahara who scored from close but on a very acute angle.
In the 62nd minute Kitazume intercepted an Iwaki’s attack to run halfway the pitch before sending Kitagawa on Iwaki’s left flank before sending the perfect cross to Shirasaki to convert it into a fine goal.
In the 66th minute S-Pulse missed a sitter when a counter found Inui who again sweetly passed ahead for only three S-Pulse players to see their shots all consecutively blocked by desperate Iwaki’s defenders.
But in the 75th minute a weak pass by an Iwaki’s defender was intercepted to end up with Kitazume running at full speed on Iwaki’s left flank and this time the ball went into goal past by a sorry Iwaki’s goalkeeper.
In the 79th minute a courageous Iwaki’s attack was finely saved by Gonda from long range.
2 minutes in extra time S-Pulse rubbed salt into the wound when Kamiya’s corner kick was not properly defended and young Kishimoto made no mistake in volleying the rebound under the goal roof.
But S-Pulse are not out the woods yet with their main rivals Jubilo and Tokyo Verdy still nipping at their heels.
Next Saturday’s home game against Kumamoto is a must win and we will need all the encouragements from our fans!
NEXT GAME
J2 League
Match 40
Shimizu S-Pulse vs
Saturday October 28th 1:00pm
IAI Stadium Nihondaira (Shizuoka)
