BARRY WRITES... Urawa 1-1 S-Pulse
It's getting better man! Away at Urawa (speaking from memory now - it was a week ago) was a game of two halves. We may easily have gone in at half time with the lead, but didn't. Wastefulness in front of goal has been a bit of an issue this season, and it almost cost us another game. Almost, but didn't! We've been pretty great from set plays, and so it was from one that our deserved equaliser came. Valdo headed it home late on to send the empty away end crazy, and make it three unbeaten. No small potatoes given our start to the season.
We're not talking about the midweek League Cup game.
S-Pulse 3-1 Sapporo
It's worth noting that while we lost our opening five, four of those teams currently sit in the top six. So the new-boss factor was, as it turns out, not made any easier by playing teams who begun the year strongly. We may not have realised it, but we were dealt a tricky starting hand. While we've seen results improve against more mid-table teams, that's not to take away from the better performances and the strides we've made. Simply put, we're playing better football.
Continuing in that vein, yesterday we welcomed Urawa's ex-boss Petrović and his Sapporo side to town, and rode out clear victors. Dodgy start to 2020 no doubt, but this is much more like it, and what we had shown flashes of earlier in the year.
Our 1st half stoppage time penalty was dispatched well, and done so despite some Consadole numpty (Arano, was it?) giving it more rabbit than Sainsbury's in Kanako's earhole beforehand. Not satisfied with that, he then got right in his face as he lined up to take it, and bellowed something as he struck it. Bloke needs to get a grip. An embarrassment to his team mates, who were actually doing their job by trying to defend the penalty.
1-0 at half time, and that cup of Bovril tasted a little bit sweeter. Second half continued as the first ended: open and balanced. Annoyingly a stonking freekick from Suzuki levelled things up 7 minutes after the restart. You may question Umeda's positioning, but the strike itself was quality, and annoying or not, 1-1 certainly wasn't unjust.
Tanaka's second yellow (one of seven for Sapporo) less than 20 minutes after coming on at half time certainly helped matters. The extra man showed, and as the game went on we had a number of good chances to regain the lead. Alas, it was a familiar, frustrating story. For our decent build up work or speedy countering, we just couldn't manage to breach the Hokkaido goal. Enter Renato, stage right. You've probably already seen it, but if not, here's the highlights. Renato's belter is at 5:08:
It was one of those you think that, with the strength he's cracked it, it's heading for the car park. Next thing you know though, the keeper's on the floor, his fingers stinging, the ball's in the goal, and your neighbours are wondering what the hell's so exciting at 12:30 in the afternoon. I hear the net's still receiving trauma counselling.Carlinho's
goal deep in injury time was the icing, and great
for confidence. 2-1's a win, but 3-1's that bit more
convincing. Deserved win. Four unbeaten. Better stuff from Pete's Dragons!
So yeah, things are getting there. I was sure we had potential despite the wonky start, and we're starting to show it. Work to be done of course, but there are reasons to be cheerful. Next up Kashima in the cup, but I think we're already out of that. Far more pressing is away at Sendai on Saturday who sit one spot above us in 13th. I'll be in the car, so won't be able to watch that one. Bit of a bugger, but there you go.
As the Consadole match was billed as the Thai Derby, if you think I can I sign off without completing a Partridge trifecta, you are sorely mistaken.
Have a smashing week!
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