Kobe 1-2 S-Pulse (Nabisco Cup)

Barry writes:

Kobe 1-2 S-Pulse

Marcel (1) Hara (36)
Johnsen (77)

Our route into the knock out stage is secured, and we're the first team in the country to manage it. Top work. :) I didn't see this one, so I just have the stats to go on. Tsujio gave a penalty away in the very first minute, but Hara made sure it was all square before the break.

The big man Johnsen grabbed a winner on 77, but picked up a second yellow card seven minutes later to gain his first red card since joining us.

The result means we're through to round two and, depending on how we go against Tokyo on Saturday, will face either Nagoya or the winner of Group A in the quarter final. This could still be any one of Yokohama, Hiroshima or Urawa, but it won't be Little Jubilo, as they were knocked out last week.

The quarter finals are scheduled to take place in July on the 15th and 29th, both Wednesday.

Line Up

GK K. Yamamoto

DF Tsujio
DF Aoyama
DF Iwashita
DF Kodama

MF Fujimoto
MF Ito
MF Edamura
MF Hyodo

FW Johnsen
FW Hara

Subs used

Takaki on for Tsujio (63)
Paulo on for Hyodo (81)
Honda on for Edamura (87)

Videos etc

A video from YouTube user SPKDF4 amongst the travelling hordes prior to kick off. As ever, they did their team proud!



A personal cam captures the first two minutes, including kick off and the Kobe penalty.



From the same uploader, Johnsen's winner, including full build up.



Johnsen's second yellow:



Some official pictures from the game can be found here (top row).

In other news, Okazaki was the nation's hero last night, as Japan won away at Uzbekistan and became the first team to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Okachan scored the only goal of the night in the ninth minute. Looking forward to him continuing this form when he returns from his national team heroics!