S-Pulse 3-0 Urawa (Nabisco Cup 1/4 Final)

Barry writes:

S-Pulse 3-0 Urawa
Own goal (0)
Okazaki (45)
Aoyama (62)

S-Pulse win 4-2 on agg.

Att. 12014

A two one defeat in the first leg, we needed to make sure we didn't conceed at home to have any real hope of getting through. Well, how about 3-0? Yep, that'd do the job nicely. :)

"Kingdom Shimizu"

Urawa came looking for goals, but their confidence was shattered in the very first minute when Abe, under no pressure at all, managed to slice a Johnsen ball straight into his own net. The S-Pulse masses went mad, the Urawa travelling hordes were stunned into silence, and you just kinda knew it was going to be our night.

Yes! And you're out the cup!

The Reds had the better of the chances for the rest of the first half, but Kaito was rarely called upon to make any real stops. Urawa were without Tulio, and they missed him. Edmilson was a danger up front, but he was unable to create anything of any real substance and soon was whining and moaning to the ref about every little decision.The away fans had bafflingly booed Okazaki tonight, presumably for no other reason than they knew he was a huge threat. He proved their point perfectly, when in 1st half stoppage time he rose to slam home an excellent cross from the left. He doesn't make mistakes with these and when the ball nearly burst the net, the boos were silenced and the other three sides of the stadium were sent into raptures.

Another semi final here we come!

At two nil, even just one goal from Urawa would have sent the game into extra time. However, a free kick just past the hour was headed back by Iwashita and met by Aoyama, who claimed his second goal in two games, and that was that. The wind was taken out of the away team's sails, and while they kept huffing and puffing, the number of mistakes they made went through the roof. We almost made it four through Hara a couple times, and the visitors did manage to draw an excellent save from Kaito around 85 minutes, but 3-0 is how it stayed. 4-2 on aggregate, and we make our second league cup semi final running.

The semi final 1st leg line up reads as:

Kawasaki Frontale v Yokohama F. Marinos

S-Pulse v FC Tokyo

First leg: Sept 2nd (Wed) Second leg: Sept 6th (Sun)

Great work lads - an excellent night under the lights, and we're now only two legs away from a chance to banish last year's Kokuritsu nightmare forever!!

Line Up

GK K. Yamamoto

DF Ichikawa
DF Aoyama
DF Iwashita
DF Arata

MF Ito
MF Edamura
MF Honda
MF Hyodo

FW Okazaki
FW Johnsen

Subs used

Hara on for Okazaki (66)
M. Yamamoto on for Edamura (71)

Videos etc

A few vids today. First, a round up of all the quarter finals. S-Pulse come first.

A personal cam of Okazaki's stunning header which put us 2-0 up.

The same cam captures Aoyama's goal which made it three nothing.

A video taken by your own UK Ultras reporter directly following Okazaki's goal.



The last minute of play and celebrations.

Click here for full information on this year's Nabisco Cup.