S-Pulse 2-0 Honda FC (Emp Cup 2nd Rnd)

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 2-0 Honda FC
Hara 74
Nagasawa 92

Att. 3739

Report

A reserve S-Pulse XI moved past local side Honda FC earlier today.

In the 3rd round we'll play J2 side Mito Hollyhock. The game will be at Nihondaira, Saturday October 9th. Kick off at 1pm.

Videos

Hara's opener:



Nagasawa makes it two:

FC Tokyo 1-1 S-Pulse (Nab Cup 1/4 Final 1st Leg)

Barry writes:

FC Tokyo 1-1 S-Pulse
Morishige 79 ----------------- Okazaki 68

Att. 12510

Line Up

GK Nishibe

DF Tsujio (yellow 54)
DF Iwashita
DF Hiraoka
DF Ota

MF Hyodo
MF Honda
MF Ito

FW Okazaki
FW Johnsen
FW Fujimoto

Subs Used

Edamura on for Okazaki (75)
Bosnar on for Tsujio (81)
M. Yamamoto on for Hyodo (86)

Report

A 1-1 draw away in Tokyo means we can get through in the 2nd leg with either a 0-0 draw or a win. 1-1 would mean extra time, any higher scoring draw would put us out, and a defeat would also spell the end of this year's Nabisco Cup adventure. Clear? Good. I'm off to watch my other footballing love, Brighton and Hove Albion, play Leyton Orient in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Seriously, the glamour never stops.

S-Pulse 2-0 Kawasaki

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 2-0 Kawasaki
Fujimoto 16
Okazaki 47

Att. 18792

Line Up

GK Nishibe

DF Ichikawa
DF Iwashita
DF Hiraoka
DF Ota

MF Hyodo
MF Honda
MF Ono

FW Okazaki
FW Johnsen
FW Fujimoto

Subs Used

M. Yamamoto on for Ono (69)
Bosnar on for Iwashita (74)
Ito on for Okazaki (87)

Report

Not got a lot of time to write much tonight as I have to hit the hay early. Off to Tokyo tomorrow before flying to England Tuesday for my brother's wedding. I've barely started my packing, so have it all to do!

Yep

Well, while I'm still awake, I'll put on record that we were a changed team after the Niigata and Iwata games. Much, much better stuff, and we came away with a deserved three points tonight. Kawasaki were, as we all know, dangerous going forward, but their frailty at the back (and wobbliness in midfield) was exposed time and again. We ourselves were perhaps fortunate to end the game having conceded none, but with a little better finishing, Frontale could have been facing, maybe not a cricket, but certainly a baseball score.

Yep

It was a cracking game, and I'm sure the neutrals among the near 19000 present (if there were any) had a great time. For the rest of us, it was nerve-wracking stuff. Check the highlights below for an overview of the game.

I'd better get myself to bed, but before I do, please take a bow Juninho. Your diving and play acting tonight was the most embarrassing display by a professional footballer I've ever witnessed live. Here's a tip for you: if the ball gets away from you in the penalty area, at least make sure you're within two metres of the defender before you trip over your own feet and tumble to the floor. One or two times you got away with your diving but doing just that - falling over when somewhere near your opponent - but your attempt at winning a penalty was just laughable, and I hope you felt as ridiculous as you looked.

And, yep

No game this weekend due to internationals, but Wednesday sees us take to the Ajinomoto Stadium for leg one of our Nabisco Cup quarter final with FC Tokyo. Bring it.

Videos

Full highlights:



And, go on then. Here's a video I took of our penalty.

Cheerleading

Fuz writes:

Due to summer games always starting during someone's bedtime, I have been unfortunately (fortunately?) unable to get to the last few games. I have, however, spent my time teaching my little one all about S-Pulse, and seeing as the last few results haven't been smile-worthy, I thought I'd share this with you all instead.

So what if she can't play for the team? She'll just be a cheerleader instead!

Iwata 2-1 S-Pulse

Barry writes:

iwata 2-1 S-Pulse
Gilsinho 23 -- Ota 41
Yamamoto 43

Att. 31266

Line Up

GK Nishibe

DF Ichikawa
DF Hiroi (yellow 73)
DF Bosnar
DF Ota

MF Hyodo
MF Ito
MF Yamamoto

FW Fujimoto
FW Johnsen
FW Okazaki

Subs Used

Edamura on for Hyodo (56)
Ono on for Yamamoto (70)
Hara on for Okazaki (75)

Report

Well if you can't score in 45 minutes against one of the worst teams in the league, you deserve to lose. Ono was nowhere to be seen in the starting 11 for reasons I can't tell you.

Probably the most interesting to happen tonight came before kick off when S-Pulse fans unveiled the same banner as last year aimed at Jubilo. It read "Jubilo" but was opened up to read "Kick your ass". The police (EDIT- or hang on, maybe they were the stewards?), on seeing it, tried with all their might to pull it down. They failed completely.

Pre-match excitement

After the banner had been on display for several minutes, all the while with the three or four policemen (stewards?) trying in vein to pull it down (the above picture was as good as they managed), loud discussions continued with the fans responsible and the staff involved. Many people around me were asking what it meant, and I translated it. A very light jibe aimed at the opposition. Not offensive, not obscene, not about to incite any violence (95% of the crowd had no idea what it even meant), so why the over reaction? Who knows.

S-Pulse 1-4 Niigata

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 1-4 Niigata
Hara 85----------------------Marcio 32
---------------------------------Cho 42, 91
---------------------------------Yano 49

Att. 30076

Line Up

GK Nishibe (yellow 90)

DF Tsujio
DF Hiraoka (yellow 31)
DF Bosnar
DF Ota (yellow 59)

MF Hyodo
MF Honda
MF Ono

FW Okazaki
FW Nagai
FW Edamura

Subs Used

Ichikawa on for Tsujio (HT)
Fujimoto on for Ono (65)
Hara on for Nagai (75)

Report

There isn't one, because I was on holiday when I went to this and didn't get back to Shizuoka until the Saturday. So instead of the game, here's three pictures of anything but.

UKU on tour

Excellent travelling support for a midweek night game

The highlight of my evening? Probably :)

Videos

Hara coming on and his goal.

S-Pulse 1-2 Yokohama F. Marinos

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 1-2 Yokohama F. Marinos
Okazaki 30---------------- Hyodo 2
---------------------------------Nakamura 53

Att. 20019

Report

Bollocks.

There's no report for this because I have to get to bed and I'm off to Niigata in the morning. Because of that, I may or may not be able to update this page after Tuesday's game. Worst case scenario it'll be done Sunday evening after the derby.