J1 League

Game 17

Shimizu S-Pulse 0-1 Kashima Antlers

Date: Saturday May 17th, 3:00 pm

Kashima Soccer Stadium (Kashima)

S-PULSE GOALS

YELLOW CARDS Bueno (76)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 20864

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Yamahara, Haasukawa, Sumiyoshi, Takagi

MF Capixaba, Inui, Bueno, Uno, Matsuzak

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Nakahara on for Matsuzaki (65)

Yajima on for Inui (65)

Kozuka on for Capixaba (77)

Nishihara on for Uno (77)

REPORT

A harsh lesson in efficiency!

We dominated the game by 56% to 44%.

We dominated the game with 525 passes against 437.

They had 11 attempts at goal with 3 on target and one score…

We had an incredible 16 attempts at goal… But NONE, not a single one on target!

We did play well enough along a sound strategy, but the finishing was beyond woeful.

We were so near pulling out a big upset!

That is the difference between an opponent at the very top of the League and our present 10th place, a position that can so easily change within two games for the better or the worse.

To put things short, Kashima on their own turf managed a sucker punch after only 7 minutes in the game.

After that, it was a frustrating litany of wasted chances.

We have only ourselves to blame and it is the more worrying that we have suffered from the same offensive impotence in too many matches.

Another game to forget even if it still leaves some hope.

We have one week to practice our shots at goal. Some players will have to raise their hand and take responsibility!

Let us hope we have finally learned our lesson and produce a positive result next Sunday at home against Vissel Kobe, a very unpredictable and uncompromising team in front of our supporters who deserve better!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

Game 18

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Vissel Kobe

Date: Saunday May 25th, 2:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)