J1 League

Game 19

Shimizu S-Pulse 2-4 Cerezo Osaka

Date: Sunday June 1st, 3:00 pm

Yodoko Sakura Stadium (Osaka)

S-PULSE GOALS Yamahara (4), Gunji (89)

YELLOW CARDS Takahashi (64)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK Saved by Oki (11)

ATTENDANCE 20,864

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Yamahara, Takahashi Sumiyoshi, Takagi

MF Capixaba, Inui, Bueno, Uno, Matsuzaki

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Yajima on for Kitagawa (25)

Hasukawa on for Sumiyoshi (46)

Nakahara on for Matsuzaki (46)

Kozuka on for Uno (68)

Gunji on for Capixaba (73)

REPORT

Another day to forget!

We played for the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of the regular time!

In between we were taught a painful lesson in efficiency and avoided humiliation only because Oki stopped one penalty kick and a Cerezo goal was disallowed in extra time!

The data resume the run of the game too well

We shared possession (51% to 49%), had more passes (427 to 411) and even had a better pass accuracy (86% to 80%), BUT…

14 attempts against 20 and only 4 shots on target against 9, and moreover conceded 10 corner kicks to only 3.

Why do most of our losses and draws follow that same pattern?

As for goals, we had to rely once again on a personal exploit by a defender namely Yamahara and on a teenager in the person of Gunji, who incidentally scored his first ever goal in the J1 League.

We did have to contend with an early injury affecting Kitagawa, but that is no excuse.

Yamahara put us in front in the 4th minute with a stunning direct free kick.

Oki kept us momentarily in the game in the 11th by saving a penalty, only for Cerezo to score from the ensuing corner kick.

On the 18th we once again conceded a goal from a corner kick.

Both corner kicks were conceded on headers against a flat-footed defense.

Things got from bad to worse on the 54th and 76th minute when we were outplayed for sucker goals.

We saved face in the 89th minute with a goal assisted (Nakahara) and scored (Gunji) by substitutes.

When are we going to become more pragmatic and aggressive?

We do play a great brand of soccer for the pleasure of all, but we dot achieve the results expected with such talented players.

We have a welcome two-week break to reassess ourselves before we face another team from Osaka, namely Gamba at home. It will prove a momentous stage for the whole season.

We certainly will need all the support from our fans!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

Game 20

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Gamba Osaka

Date: Sunday June 15th, 6:30 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)