Kashima Antlers 2-1 S-Pulse (Nab Cup Group Stage)

Barry writes

Kashima Antlers 2-1 S-Pulse
Osako 75, 90  ------------------------------------- Ito 14

Att. 6207

Line Up

GK Yamamoto (89)

DF Yoshida
DF Kang
DF Jong a Pin
DF Tachibana

MF Muramatsu (86)
MF Hattanada
MF Edamura

FW Ito
FW Shirasaki
FW Shibahara

Subs Used

Kawai on for Hattanda (HT)
Omae on for Shibahara (63)
Franca on for Shirasaki (71)

Report

As expected, a very young team was sent out to face Kashima this evening in an ultimately meaningless game. Meaningless by dint of us leading the group with five wins from five and progression to the knock out stages already secured.

Losing to a last minute goal is never fun, but really, for the team we put out (average age 22.9) we can be more than happy with the way they performed. Good to see Ito on the score sheet. He's been getting a lot of stick lately, but I know he wants to perform, so every little helps him get back on track.

As previously tweeted, our knock out stage games are against Nagoya, to be played July 25th and August 8th, the home leg being first.

But enough about us, tonight belongs to Jubilo Iwata.

Group A before kick off

All they had to do to secure progression was to avoid defeat. Hell, they could even afford to lose if Cerezo and Tosu ended in a draw. As it was they got taken apart 4-0, and Cerezo thrashed Tosu five to nothing. Jubilo crash out on goal difference in the most spectacular of circumstances and give us all a good laugh. :)

Videos

Highlights.

Really soft decision for the (1st) Kashima penalty. The players bumped, and the ref calls a spot kick. :-/

Really soft decision for the (2nd) Kashima penalty. Kaito times his tackle perfectly,  gets the ball before man, and the ref calls a spot kick. :-/ And gives Kaito a yellow card. Poor refereeing from Masaaki Toma.

Masaaki Toma - he blew it