J2 League

Game 28

Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 Kagoshima United

Sunday August 24th, 7:00 pm

Shiranami Stadium (Kagoshima)

S-PULSE GOALS Yakubu (88)

YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK Yakubu (88)

ATTENDANCE 10406

LINE UP

GK Gonda

DF Yamahara, Sumiyoshi, Hasukawa, Yoshida

MF Carlinhos, Uno, Inui, Nakamura, Braga

FW Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Kitazume on for Yoshida (62)

Yajima on for Inui (62)

Yakubu on for Kitagawa (76)

Nishihara on for Carlinhos (76)

Takagi on for Braga (89)

REPORT

A vital win away form our bases which keep us at the top of the League and increased our advantage onto 3rd-placed Nagasaki to 9 points!

But we made hard work of it in spite of an enormous possession and a plethora of shoots at goal.

Truth be told, Kagoshima know us too well as it is our second home ground what with winter camp being spent there every year. It certainly did not make things easy as our adversaries of the day adopted a mass defense counting on the occasional long ball counter, one of the few weak points of S-Pulse.

For once we almost fielded the best back line with Hasukawa and Sumiyoshi at last together after injuries. And we certainly needed them!

It was Kagoshima who had the first chance in the 3rd minute when they headed a good corner kick over the bar.

In the 9th minute Carlinhos and Inu combined to send the last pass to Braga a few meters from goal but the latter’s weak shot was easily caught by the Kagoshima keeper who eventually ended with a great match to his credit.

In the 16th minute Yamahara progressed in one of his many flanking runs to send the perfect cross to Kitagawa who unfortunately missed his volley completely way above the bar.

In the 22nd minute Kagoshima could only produce a long-range over the bar with S-Pulse keeping their forwards at bay.

In the 28th minute the goal keeper saved his team again by parrying an excellent header following Yamahara’s corner kick. One minute later Yamahara again and Inui combined with the latter sending a dangerous cross for Sumiyoshi to jump over everybody only to see his header sail over the bar.

S-Pulse continued to apply heavy pressure and Inui in the 38th minute could have better after a fine move of his bringing inside the box past the defense only to shoot over the bar.

In he 43rd minute Kagoshima could have taken the lead against the run of play after exploiting a rare S-Pulse’s mistake but Gonda saved his camp against a vicious long-range attempt.

Two minutes in extra time a quick counter ended with Inui passing to Braga past the opposite defense inside the box but the Brazilian sharp shot was somehow palmed away by a dicing Kagoshima keeper.

In the 65th minute Gonda had to extend himself again after the whole defense had let a single Kagoshima forward for too an easy foray.

In the 79th minute Kagoshima was lucky enough to survive another dangerous attack but substitute Yakubu could only acrobatically shoot over the bar.

We were dragging toward a frustrating draw when Sumiyoshi was clumsily brought down by a tiring Kagoshima defense inside the box for a well-earned penalty that Yakubu cooly converted for his third goal in as many games.

Next Saturday we are travelling to another faraway destination in Yokushima Prefecture where a positive result would put into a very strong position. Let us hope that our indefatigable fans will be rewarded!

NEXT GAME

J2 League

Game 29

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Tokushima Vortis

Sunday August 31st, 7:00 pm

Pocari Sweat Stadium (Naruto)