J1 League

Game 16

Shimizu S-Pulse 2-2 Machida Zelvia

Date: Sunday May 11th, 1:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Kitagawa (66), Tanque (84)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK Kitagawa (66)

ATTENDANCE 16741

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Hasukawa, Haneda, Takagi

MF Capixaba, Inui, Bueno, Uno, Matsuzaki, Kitazume

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Sumiyoshi on for Haneda (46)

Yajima on for Matsuzaki (68)

Yamahara on for Kitazume (74)

Nakahara on for Uno (78)

Tanque on for KItagawa (78)

REPORT

Talk of a jailbreak! And truth be told we did little to deserve it and instead had to rely on Mother Luck to avoid a third consecutive loss.

We secured enough possession to create plenty of chances that were completely wasted in the end except for only one piece of brilliance we should emulate or else. To make things worse the defense was too easily beaten at this level and completely out of synchronization.

In an extremely unpredictable League when a couple of days could drastically change its physiognomy, we just cannot afford to forget our professionalism, and this at all levels!

We started yet again with a different hybrid 3-6-1 formation with more changes in starting personnel.

We were right on the attack from the beginning and a smooth move around the box corner allowed Uno to try his chance but his shot was too weak and easily caught by the Machida keeper.

In the 11th minute the same Uno initiated a promising move to KItazume who volleyed the ball back to be relayed twice before it reached Inui meters from goal but his shot was never near its target.

In the 12th minute a flat-footed defense allowed all the time for a Machida forward to send a very sharp shot that was somehow parried by keeper Oki.

In the 21st we proceeded to make a gift of a goal when Oki’s clearance was too easily controlled in midfield before it was run long our right flank and nobody was there to prevent the ensuing cross to be headed from close range.

In the 31st minute we managed to send a dangerous cross that evaded both Bueno and the Machida keeper in a 50-50 situation which could have ended in a penalty kick.

In the 41st minute we allowed yet another mid-range shot to be taken too easily but it just brushed past the bar.

In the 49th minute Uno did well to steal the ball in midfield before passing it to Inui who tried his luck lobbing the opposite keeper who was not fooled and easily palmed it away.

In the 53rd minute a quick incursion should have succeeded but Bueno completely missed the goal only three meters away.

In the 63rd minute Inui was somewhat lucky to obtain a penalty kick through a minimal fault Kitagawa almost flunked it as the ball was only finger-tipped inside by the Machida keeper who had dived the right way only to see the ball squeeze inside the right post.

And the we forgot to play

Within 30 seconds Machida sent a long ball to our left flank which was crossed over our immobile defense before it was headed too easily past a desolate Oki.

In the 74th minute we once again allowed our left flank exposed before the ball was crossed, but fortunately the last shot missed its target while everyone looked by.

And in the 84th minute our sole moment of brilliance saved our fate when Capixaba crossed from the left flank for Tanque to head a difficult rebound between keeper and near post.

But we were still lucky to escape in the very last minute of the game when Machida managed to miss 4 consecutive chances inside the box within mere seconds.

Last but not least, congratulations to the Lady Referee who had a fine day!

Now, we have to travel next Saturday to in-form Kashima to play against a team we have a sorry history about.

Can we beat the odds? We have the players to do it, but we will need more motivation, precision and certainly a better strategy!

Many fans will travel with us, and they deserve better!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

Game 17

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Kashima Antlers

Date: Saturday May 17th, 3:00 pm

Kashima Soccer Stadium (Kashima)