J2 League

Game 13

Shimizu S-Pulse 4-1 Tochigi FC

Friday May 3rd, 2:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Kitagawa Yajima (5), Braga (8), Yamahara (79), Matsuzaki (87)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 17400

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Yamahara, Sumiyoshi, Takahashi, Hara

MF Yajima, Nakamura, Miyamoto, Braga

FW Carlinhos, Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Matsuzaki on for Yajima (70)

Tanque on for Kitagawa (70)

Yoshida on for Braga (76)

Nishizawa on for Miyamoto (89)

Nishihara on for Carlinhos (89)

REPORT

Great start for the Golden Week Marathon!

In front of their largest crowd this year S-Pulse achieved a 5 successive win run for the first time in 8 years to widen the gap above the second spot by 3 points and the 3rd spot by 7 points!

It was not a perfect game but S-Pulse was clinical in the first 10 minutes and last 15 minutes of the game beating a plucky Tochigi side desperate to move above their present low raking.

The game saw no less than 3 new recruits scoring for Shimizu including a first for one of them and a score by another one coming as a substitute proving the depth of talent allowing them to fully use a very dangerous bench as proved many times this year by late goals.

Add to this the growing form of newcomer Tanque, a burly striker who will find the way to goal sooner than later.

Basically, all positions are covered even in the absence of game-maker Inui. The whole squad should rapidly click together for a whole game, making them the favorite of the J2 League.

Tochigi in the 2nd minute actually had the first chance when S-Pulse failed to repeal a long throw-in which on the rebound was shot from long range only missing the far post narrowly.

But no less than 2 minutes later S-Pulse also missed goal narrowly when Kitagawa, Braga and Carlinhos combined to allow Miyamoto to shoot from inside the box just above the bar.

But in the 5th minute Tochigi could not clear Yajima’s corner kick and Yajima himself initiated the move inside the box until Carlinhos passed the ball back again to Yajima who bent the perfect shot between an extended goal keeper and the bar for his first goal for his new team

In the 9th minute S-Pulse increased their lead when Braga was sent on the right flank. The latter upon penetrating inside the box suddenly crocheted on his left leaving a defender to allow himself a left foot shot which sweetly flew past the keeper inside the far post, proving that the Brazilian recruit was a most judicious find now with his 4th goal for his new club.

But then S-Pulse grew over confident and left the initiative to Tochigi who punished them in the 24th minute when S-Pulse failed to clear a dangerous cross which landed directly in the path of a lurking Tochigi forward who produced a superb short-range volley to beat a helpless Gonda.

Tochigi dominated the second half and came close to score again in the 46th, 64th and 65th and 67th minutes wasting chance after chance against a suddenly lethargic S-Pulse side.

S-Pulse only started to reassert themselves when Hara missed a long-range attempt by inches in the 74th minute.

Deliverance came in the 79th minute when Tochigi failed to properly clear a dangerous run by Tanque before the ball was intercepted by Yamahara on the left flank who ran inside the box before delivering the perfect cross shot inside the far post.

In the 87th minute S-Pulse put the cherry on top of the cake when poor defense by tired Tochigi allowed an incursion inside the left flank of the box ended by a point blank shot by another recruit in the name of Matsuzaki.

Next game comes on Monday, the last day of the Golden Week with ana away match to Thespa Gunma, a venue near enough for many Shimizu S-Pulse fans to travel and encourage their team!

NEXT GAME

J2 League

Game 14

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Thespa Gunma

Monday May 6th, 2:00 pm

Shoda Shoyu Stadium (Maebashi)