J1 League

Game 33

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-1 FC Tokyo

Date: Saturday October 4th, 1:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Toshiki Takahashi (34)

YELLOW CARDS Hasukawa (60)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 17099

LINE UP

GK Umeda

DF Hasukawa, Kim Min Tae, Sumiyoshi

MF Yamahara, Bueno, Inui, Kozuka, Yumiba, Yoshida

FW Toshiki Takahashi

SUBSTITUTIONS

Matsuzaki on for Kozuka (67)

Uno on for Yumiba (67)

Kitagawa on for Toshiki Takahashi (73)

Yajima on for Inui (8)

Takagi on for Yoshida (83)

REPORT

Frustrating draw!

Now, we have more draws than wins!

Against a struggling team it came down as an exercise in waste and impotence!

For all our overwhelming domination (possession, 64% to 36%, passes, 631 to 357 and even in pass accuracy) our attack was a nightmare of inefficiency with 10 attempts at goal and only one shot on target which at least produced one score. For comparison our opponents of the day managed to bombard us 14 times with 4 shots on target in spite of a meagre possession.

A detailed view of the game would end up in a litany of botched chances before they developed properly.

We did score a fine goal through our best striker Toshiki Takahashi at the end of a fine cross by Yamahara at the right time in the first half, but that was it.

Our defense had to be very careful but defenses do not win games and we might even say we were somewhat lucky to escape with a draw.

Since we are mired in the middle of the League with no chance to climb over the 10th place and basically secure from relegation it has become high time for some players to raise their hands and grab chances before changes of personnel are considered by the end of the year.

Even if there is no honor left to chase this year this should make for some interesting soccer to watch!

Our long-suffering die-hard fans certainly deserve it starting with the trip to Kawasaki which promises some firework after a two-week long recess for international duty!!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

Game 34

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Kawasaki Frontale

Date: Saturday October 18th, 2:00 pm

Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu (Kawasaki)