Saturday 24 May 2014

S-Pulse 1-2 Kobe (Nab Cup Group Stage)

Barry BARRY WRITES...  

S-Pulse 1-2 Kobe
Novakovic 63 -------------- Jung 33
---------------------------------- Iwanami 87

Att 11815
May 24th, 2pm
IAI Stadium Nihondaira, Shizuoka

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Jakovic
DF Hiraoka
DF Jong a Pin
DF Yoshida

MF Sugiyama
MF Musaka
MF Takeuchi

FW Omae
FW Kawai
FW Takagi T

Subs Used

Novakovic on for Sugiyama (HT)
Murata on for Kawai (HT)
Takagi Y on for Takagi T (85)

Report

Not a great first half, but we really should have won it in the second. After Novakovic's penalty, his 10th goal of the season and which he took rather than Genki given Omae and Yamamoto's relationship, we pummeled the Kobe goal relentlessly. Murata and Hiraoka in particular went close. Murata collected a Toshiyuki Takagi cross only to be denied by Yamamoto, while Hiraoka headed against the post. The day after turning 28, a birthday goal would have been pretty sweet, but it wasn't to be.

Just when it started to look like the game would end all square, Kobe's young defender Iwanami (who I happened to see in Starbucks last night) popped up to head past Kushibiki and steal all three points.  Kushi should have done better and he knows it, but today's game is gone. We're still 2nd in Group A, with a game in hand over 1st placed G. Osaka and 3rd placed FC Tokyo. A win away at Tosu on Wednesday could as good as put us through to the quarter finals, and even then we have another game still to play, so this one defeat has to be kept in perspective.

A personal shout out for Yoshida. In the second half especially he didn't stop running, and his charging down the left wing was the genesis of many goal scoring chances. Really impressed with his work rate and productivity today. Well played Yutaka!

GROUP A



Pts P W D LF A Gd
1 G. Osaka 12 5 4 0 1 9 3 +6
2 S-PULSE 9 4 3 0 1 9 4 +5
-
3 FC Tokyo 7 5 2 1 2 10 8 +2
-
4 Kashima 6 4 2 0 2 7 7 +0
-
5 Kobe 6 4 2 0 2 5 8 -3
6 Tosu 3 4 1 0 3 5 8 -3
7 Sendai 1 4 0 1 3 2 9 -7

Videos

The goals.


Wednesday 21 May 2014

FC Tokyo 2-3 S-Pulse

Barry BARRY WRITES...  

FC Tokyo 2-3 S-Pulse
Edu 18, 87 --------------------- Takagi 8
-------------------------------------  Omae 21
-------------------------------------- Novakovic 57

Att 8749
May 21st, 7pm
Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Jakovic
DF Hiraoka
DF Jong a Pin
DF Yoshida

MF Takeuchi
MF Kawai
MF Musaka

FW Omae
FW Takaki T
FW Novakovic (10)

Subs Used

Sugiyama on for Novakovic (78)
Takagi Y on for Takagi T (86)
Hiroi on for Tekuchi (90)

Report

A great cup tie, well fought and a win well deserved. We played some lovely stuff tonight, and while when the home team got into a bit of stride they did threaten, I thought we pretty much bossed this and were very good value for the three points. 

Takagi T can be especially pleased with his contribution, scoring one, setting up two, and curling a gorgeous shot around the keeper only to be denied by the post. He had a cracking game. His second assist was part of the highlight of the night. Kawai advanced on the FC Tokyo defense, laid the ball off to Takagi who took it to the touchline before playing the ball in for Novkovic to tap home. it was a gorgeous bit of football, and a goal worthy of winning the game.

Edu pulled a goal back to make it 2-3 going into the final srages, but we held strong and made it three out of three in Group A. You can checkout the goals below. What this win means is that with a victory at home to Kobe on Saturday we can move within touching distance of the the quarter finals.

Videos

The goals.



Monday 19 May 2014

S-Pulse 1-1 Kobe

Barry BARRY WRITES... 

S-Pulse 1-1 Kobe
Sugiyama 66 ------------ Ogawa 61

Att 12960
May 17th, 2pm
IAI Nihondaira Stadium

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Jakovic
DF Hiraoka
DF Jong-a-Pin (44)
DF Yoshida

MF Sugiyama (67)
MF Musaka
MF Takeuchi

FW Omae
FW Takagi T
FW Novakovic

Subs Used

Kawai on for Takeuchi (78)
Murata (93) on for Omae (88)
Hiroi on for Yakaki T (91)

Report

To come.

Videos

The goals.

Saturday 10 May 2014

Hiroshima 1-1 S-Pulse

Barry BARRY WRITES... 

Hiroshima 1-1 S-Pulse 
Shiotani 14 ----------------------- Novakovic 52

Att 12960
May 10th 2pm, Edion Stadium Hiroshima
Hiroshima city, Hiroshima prefecture

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Jakovoc
DF Hiraoka
DF Jong-a-Pin
DF Yoshida (82)

MF Sugiyama
MF Musaka
MF Takeuchi

FW Kawai
FW Omae
FW Novakovic

Subs Used

Takagi T on for Kawai (HT)
Ishige on for Takeuchi (88)
Murata on for Omae (92)

Report

Could easily have won this one! After struggling to break down Hiroshima in the first half, it was a different story after the break. We had them back peddling for long periods, and but for the woodwork and a couple of desperate goal line stops, we would have had a second. Can't be disappointed with a point away at the champions, especially coming back from behind.

Videos

Highlights.




Tuesday 6 May 2014

Niigata 2-1 S-Pulse

Barry BARRY WRITES... 

Niigata 2-1 S-Pulse
Tanaka 55 ------------------ Hiraoka 92
Jong-a-Pin OG 95

Att 35533
Denka Big Swan, 2pm
Niigata city, Niigata prefecture

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Jakovic
DF Hiraoka
DF Jong-a-Pin
DF Yoshida
DF Nabeta

MF Hiraoka
MF Takeuchi
MF Kawai

FW Omae (87)
FW Novakovic

Subs Used

Sugiyama on for Yoshida (59)
Murata on for Nabeta (67)
Hiroi on for Takeuchi (84)

Report

Nabeta was listed as a defender, perhaps to fox Niigata. He was playing a s a forward.

Videos

Highlights.


Monday 5 May 2014

S-Pulse 0-1 Sagan Tosu

Barry BARRY WRITES... 

S-Pulse 0-1 Sagan Tosu
--------------------------------- Fujita 43


Att 17286
3pm, IAI Stadium Nihondaira
Shizuoka city, Shizuoka prefecture

Line Up

GK Kushibiki

DF Yoshida
DF Jakovic (55)
DF Hiroka
DF Jong-a-Pin

MF Muramatsu
MF Takeuchi
MF Musaka

FW Kawai
FW Omae
FW Novakovic

Subs Used

Takagi T on for Yoshida (56)
Murata on for Muramatsu (71)
Hiroi (94) on for Takeuchi (82)

Videos

Highlights: