J1 League

J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE WESTERN GROUP

Game 2

Shimizu S-Pulse vs 1-1 Kyoto Sanga (22-4 on penalty shoot-out)

Date: Saturday February 14th, 2:00 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)

S-PULSE GOALS Own Goal (46)

YELLOW CARDS Kozuka (49)

RED CARDS

PENALTY KICK

ATTENDANCE 15416

LINE UP

GK Oki

DF Yoshida, Honda, Sumiyoshi, Hidaka

MF China, Bueno, Kozuka

FW Capixaba, Oh, Kitagawa

SUBSTITUTIONS

Toshiki Takahashi on for Chiba (79)

Yumiba on for Toshiki Kozuka (79)

Gunji on for Kitagawa (87)

Ohata on for Hidaka (90)

REPORT

Heartbreak!

We thought we had compensated last game’s bad luck with some deserved good luck only to see our opponents equalize in the final seconds of a ridiculous 12-minute extra time…

The penalty shoot-out was just one more nail in the coffin for deflated players…

Unfortunately, we have a long history of such ”defeats” (remember Tokyo Verdy?)... With the rule of penalties to “decide drawn games” we might be in for some more suffering unless we play better to save wins to help a solid enough defense, even missing some starting members. The offense simply has to become more dependable. Truth be told the midfield had to be modified and the team has not found its cohesion up front yet, what with younger players still in need of more experience

We were never dominated and actually had more attempts at goal and shots on target.

BUT a 66% accuracy in passes is simply below par. And that is where, especially in midfield, we still have a lot of work on our hands.

But we ought to be optimistic, what with all players not ready yet.

And we should show a better face to our faithful fans right from next Saturday at home against another difficult adversary in the name of Vissel Kobe!

NEXT GAME

J1 League

J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE WESTERN GROUP

Game 3

Shimizu S-Pulse vs Vissel Kobe

Date: Saturday February 21st, 2:30 pm

IAI Nihondaira Stadium (Shizuoka)