J2 League

Game 19

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 Fujieda MYFC

Saturday June 8th, 6:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Kitagawa (67)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 17707

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Sumiyoshi, Takahashi, Hara

MF Yamahara, Inui, Miyamoto, Braga, Kitazume

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Tanque on for Braga (64)

Yajima on for Miyamoto (77)

Shirasaki on for Kitagawa(77)

Gunji on for Inui (86)

Yoshida on for Miyahara (87)

REPORT

Vital win to finish top of the J2 League at half season! A symbolic but encouraging achievement!

This year’s first leg edition of the Shizuoka Derby was watched by the biggest home crowd of the season and we certainly needed their encouragements to fend off a tenacious if completely dominated Fujieda MYFC, a club that should soon become a mainstay of the J2 League if not higher someday.

Last but not least 3 of the 4 officials were invited foreign umpires!

Due to injuries and other reasons, we came up with another slightly different starting outfit as well as 3-back formation.

Inui put his mark early in the 19th minute trying to lob the opposite goal keeper with a high shot from his own half.

In the 21st minute Fujieda lived dangerously inside their own box but too many legs were in the way for S-Pulse to finish it off. In the 34th minute Nakamura intercepted a weak clearance before sending Braga into the box but the latter’s sharp shot was palmed away by inches away from goal from an acute angle.

In the 43rd minute Fujieda had their first chance of the day when The Shimizu defense allowed too much room to one of their forwards in a long-range attempt had Gonda stretching himself to the full to parry away a goal that would have been again the run of the play.

S-Pulse kept attacking and could even have scored three times in a row in extra time but for lack of cold-blooded application or luck especially with Braga seeing an impossible acute angle shot repulsed once again by an excellent Fujieda keeper and Kitazume volleying a corner kick just over the bar.

The second half started with more domination from S-Pulse and Kitazume could have scored after being sent through into the box by Inui in 47th minute but once again the acute angle helped the opposite keeper.

Two minutes later Inui was once again in the action when the roles were inversed with Kitagawa relaying back to Kitazume to send the perfect short cross that Braga left on purpose for Inui only for the ball to be kicked just above the bar.

All those missed close chances were starting to worry everyone

But at last, in the 67th minute Yamahara found Inui unmarked on the left flank. The S-Pulse game maker took his time before sending Kitagawa on the other side of the pitch after substitute Tanque had cleverly attracted the defense to the wrong side for the striker to cooly shoot into promised land for a simple and superb goal.

Shimizu kept attacking and Fujieda were lucky to survive when Yamahara’s shot from just outside the box left corner two minutes later almost beat everyone.

Fujieda fought courageously but a rare chance was completely wasted in the 82nd minute when the last shots flew meters above the bar.

In the 85th minute Yamahara again was unlucky to see his shot everybody, goal keeper and two of his forwards included.

In thee 88th minute Fujieda could have actually equalized with only their third chance of the day when hesitant defense allowed a powerful long-range shot that Gonda had to show all his class (and anger) to repulse.

A game which we should have won handsomely had to be played out till the last seconds against a plucky Fujieda team that never gave up in spite of sometimes really heavy domination by S-Pulse. A good advertisement for Japanese soccer which can attract such big crowds even in the lower tiers!

The next game will be an opportunity for some players to shine during eth 2nd round of the Emperor’s Cup on Wednesday against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries SC.

History has told us many times to take those so-called “amateur teams” who are actually full professionals representing big companies! Once again. Beware!

NEXT GAME

Emperor’s Cup

2nd Round

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Mitsubishi Heavy Industries SC

Wednesday June 12th, 7:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)