J1 League

J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE WESTERN GROUP

Game 4

Shimizu S-Pulse 2-2 Gamba Osaka (4-5 on penalties shootout

Date: Saturday February 28th, 3:00 pm

Suita City Stadium (Osaka)

S-PULSE GOALS Kitagawa (82), Capixaba (86)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 22522

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Yoshida, Honda, Sumiyoshi, Park

MF Chiba, Bueno, Kozuka

FW Capixaba, Toshiki Takahashi, Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Uno on for Chiba (59)

Matsuzaki on for Toshiki Takahashi (59)

Kitazume on for Park (77)

Stephens on for Kozuka (77)

Shimamoto on for Capixaba (90 +4)

REPORT

Regardless of the end result, it was a game which showed a lot of guts from all the players who after buckling under a couple of sucker goals in spite of sharing almost the same data never gave up and still found the means to score level in the dying minutes.

The penalties shootout is an anecdote for this special competition before the real season starts in the Fall. By then the new management will have polished a team of highly talented individuals into the real fighting unit we never could accomplish on a constant basis last year. After all, regardless of the forced results we have lost only on match in four and this by the smallest margin. We could have ended up this start of the season in an even better situation with a minimum luck.

We did start well with the first chance in the 8th minute when the ball found Kitagawa inside the box but the angle was too acute and the ball missed the near post.

In the 26th minute came the first sucker goal when Oki could not palm a looping soft shot originally deflected over the bar only to punch tn back into play to be met by a lurking Gamba forward.

In the 35th minute a dangerous free kick almost ended in an equalizer except for Gamba defender to head the ball away from his line.

In the 41st minute the second sucker goal could have been avoided with some better judgement from the defense allowing a chance in through the narrowest space of all.

In the 54th minute Gamba could have ended the game with a swift counter but this time goalkeeper Oki redeemed himself with a great parade.

In the 62nd minute some loose defense allowed another chance which fortunately flea past the far post.

In the 64th minute a great chance by Kitagawa was once again repulsed at the last second by the same Gamba defender, but Shimizu was on the ascendency and in the 82nd minute a good attack found Capixaba inside the box whose shot was met by a fully stretched Kitagawa who compensated for its past missed chance.

4 minutes later Capixaba who had had an enormous game was finally rewarded when the Gamba defense could not fend off a dangerous attack and the Brazilian shot from the exact same spot but this time he did not need any help.

In the 89th minute Oki again saved his side after a very dangerous free kick was headed towards him with the ball bouncing safely off the far post.

Next Saturday we head back to Osaka again to face Cerezo this time. It should certainly prove to be another entertaining game!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE WESTERN GROUP

Game 5

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Cerezo Osaka

Date: Saturday March 7th, 3:00 pm

Yodoko Sakura Stadium (Osaka)