Emperor’s Cup

2nd Round

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Mitsubishi Heavy Industries SC

Wednesday June 12th, 7:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Knate (7), Matsuzaki (29), Kawatani (56), Gunji (57), Chiba (63), Gunji (64), Gunji (69), Gunji (83), Kitagawa (90 +4)

YELLOW CARDS Kante, Morishige

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK (Chiba, 63)

ATTENDANCE unannounced

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Takagi, Morishige, Kawatani

MF Matsuzaki, Yajima, Naruoka, Gunji, Ando

FW Tanke

SUBSTITUTIONS

Chiba on for Tanque

Yata on for Yajima

Kitagawa on for Matsuzaki

Yamahara on for Ando

Hara on for Takagi

REPORT

On a giant-killing day which saw no less than three J1 League sides being eliminated and one more barely surviving on penalty kicks after leveling scores in extra time, there was simply too much difference between a second-string top J2 League team and an amateur side playing three tiers below.

The starting team was completely different from the side that started the previous league game against Fujieda, but it took two senior players in the names of Tanque and Matsuzaki to break the deadlock during a first half which witnessed a courageous MHI SC side resisting to a vastly superior professional side which by the end of the day had had 29 attempts at goal against a paltry 4 for their adversaries.

S-Pulse had adopted a 3-6-1 formation only in name as the three backs usually play in midfield or upfront, making it clear it was going to be an all-attack strategy.

After their amateur opponents had seen one of their players sent off with a straight red card, it became a one-sided shooting gallery with rookie Gunji leaving his mark with a tally of 4 goals that should benefit him for the rest of the season.

The merit of the game is that some young or rarely used players did shine on the day, providing for more depth for the rest of the season.

We will certainly need it starting with next game away against Ehime in what is called the “Orange Derby”, a team new to the J2 League but be taken very seriously!

NEXT GAME

J2 League

Game 20

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Ehima FC

Sunday June 16th, 6:00 pm

NInjineer Stadium (Matsuyama)