J1 League Gameweek 3
Shimizu S-pulse 1 - 0 FT Vissel Kobe
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Futmetrix Verdict
43
Coventry
vs
Newcastle
Mon, Oct 12 • 19:00 UTC
⚡ Form
47
⚖️ Balance
95
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
72
Coventry's survival bid meets Newcastle's inconsistency.
Futmetrix Verdict
83
Al-Wasl FC
vs
Al-Ahli Jeddah
Mon, Oct 12 • 16:00 UTC
⚡ Form
31
⚖️ Balance
82
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
66
Early AFC Champions League Elite test.
Futmetrix Verdict
45
Atalanta
vs
Venezia
Mon, Oct 12 • 16:30 UTC
⚡ Form
51
⚖️ Balance
60
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
64
Desperate Venezia seek lifeline against Atalanta.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
↓ T. Inui ↑B. Nduka 22'
25' Haruto Hidaka
Yosuke Ideguchi 31'
HT
52' Kazuki Kozuka
55' Oh Se-Hun
71' ↓ H. Hidaka ↑Park Seung-Wook
↓ Y. Ideguchi ↑K. Hamasaki 71'
↓ R. Komatsu ↑Jean Patric 72'
74' Yutaka Yoshida
Thuler 76'
78' ↓ K. Chiba ↑T. Takahashi
78' ↓ K. Kozuka ↑Z. Uno
↓ Y. Kuwasaki ↑Y. Goke 83'
↓ R. Hirose ↑K. Yamada 83'
90'+2 ↓ Capixaba ↑A. Stephens
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Shimizu S-pulse
Goalkeepers
Yuya Oki 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
1
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Ousseini Badamassi 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
71
Entry
Jelani Reshaun Sumiyoshi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuki Honda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yutaka Yoshida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Kazuki Kozuka
LATE SHIFT
12
Late Mins
12
Late Mins
78
Total Mins
78
Entry
Matheus Bueno 
MAGNET
64
Activity
64
Activity
54
Passes
10
Duels
Koya Kitagawa 
DRIBBLER
3
Dribbles
3
Dribbles
3
Attempts
100%
Success %
Kanta Chiba
LATE SHIFT
12
Late Mins
12
Late Mins
78
Total Mins
78
Entry
Capixaba
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Oh Se-hun
MAGNET
46
Activity
46
Activity
20
Passes
26
Duels
BENCH
Togo Umeda 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Kengo Kitazume
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Park Seung-Wook
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Zento Uno
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Masaki Yumiba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kai Matsuzaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. Ohata
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Toshiki Takahashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alfredo Stephens
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
1
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vissel Kobe
Goalkeepers
Daiya Maekawa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Rikuto Hirose
LATE SHIFT
7
Late Mins
7
Late Mins
83
Total Mins
83
Entry
Tetsushi Yamakawa 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Red Card
Mistake
Red Card
Mistake
1
Fouls
3.9
Rating
Matheus Thuler
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Katsuya Nagato 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
13%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Yosuke Ideguchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
71
Entry
Yuya Kuwasaki
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
6.3
Rating
Takashi Inui
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
22
Entry
Forwards
Yoshinori Muto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ren Komatsu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
72
Total Mins
72
Entry
Daiju Sasaki
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
8
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
Shuichi Gonda
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
K. Yamada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Boniface Nduka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yuta Goke
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Haruya Ide
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kento Hamasaki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kakeru Yamauchi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mitsuki Hidaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jean Patrick
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/21/2026 | Shimizu S-pulse | 1 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | IAI Stadium Nihondaira |
| 09/27/2025 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 1 | Shimizu S-pulse | J1 League | Noevir Stadium |
| 05/25/2025 | Shimizu S-pulse | 3 - 2 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | IAI Stadium Nihondaira |
| 07/06/2022 | Vissel Kobe | 2 - 1 | Shimizu S-pulse | J1 League | NOEVIR Stadium Kobe |
| 03/19/2022 | Shimizu S-pulse | 0 - 0 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | IAI Stadium Nihondaira |
| 09/24/2021 | Shimizu S-pulse | 0 - 2 | Vissel Kobe | J1 League | IAI Stadium Nihondaira |
02/21/2026
09/27/2025
05/25/2025
07/06/2022
03/19/2022
09/24/2021
Shimizu S-pulse Win
Vissel Kobe Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -1
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -4
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Shimizu S-pulse
Vissel Kobe
Shimizu S-pulse
Vissel Kobe
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Ten-Man Leaders Stunned in Nihondaira Masterclass
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 50/100. A catastrophic early red card derailed the league leaders, allowing the home side to orchestrate a methodical and fully deserved upset.
Opening Act
The atmosphere at IAI Stadium Nihondaira crackled with anticipation as high Stakes defined this crucial clash near the summit of the table. Vissel Kobe arrived riding a formidable wave of dominant form, but they immediately ran into a profoundly resilient wall. The opening exchanges were intensely physical and cagey, characterized by immense Intensity in the midfield battleground. A relentless barrage of early set-pieces—contributing to a massive 14 total corners throughout the match—kept both defensive units under severe and constant duress. Despite holding the pre-match advantage on paper, the league leaders struggled significantly to establish their usual flowing rhythm against a home side determined to disrupt the tempo and stake their own definitive claim in the upper echelons of the league.
The Pivot
The entire complexion of the afternoon was completely shattered in a dramatic 19th minute. A devastating counter-attack caught the visitors utterly exposed at the back, forcing Tetsushi Yamakawa into executing a desperate professional foul. The resulting straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity completely obliterated the fundamental Balance of the contest. Shimizu S-pulse methodically turned the screw, edging possession to 52% and mounting sustained, suffocating pressure. The decisive breakthrough finally arrived amidst immense tension in the 52nd minute. A prolonged and nail-biting VAR review involving Kazuki Kozuka culminated in a confirmed penalty decision. Stepping confidently up to the spot, Oh Se-Hun ruthlessly buried the chance on 55 minutes, severely punishing the exhausted ten men.
Resolution
Chasing the game while a man down, the desperate leaders lacked the clinical edge required to mount a realistic comeback, managing a measly 0.31 expected goals and mustering just one single shot on target. Shimizu expertly and cynically navigated the remaining minutes, producing a truly massive Upset Factor given the visitors' formidable prior momentum and top-of-the-table status. The 1-0 triumph not only significantly narrows the points gap at the summit but definitively proves the home side possesses the vital tactical discipline required to dismantle elite opposition. As the final whistle blew at IAI Stadium Nihondaira, the undeniable shockwaves of this tactical masterclass reverberated throughout the division, blowing the championship race wide open.
Key Questions
How did the red card for Tetsushi Yamakawa impact the match?
The 19th-minute dismissal completely altered the tactical landscape, forcing Kobe to defend deep and allowing Shimizu to relentlessly dictate the tempo for the remainder of the fixture.
How did Vissel Kobe pull off this shock result?
Vissel Kobe did not pull off the shock; they were the victims. Hindered by an early red card, they managed just one shot on target and fell to Shimizu's pressure.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
Title Race Rivals Collide in High-Stakes Encounter
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 71/100. This top-of-the-table showdown is a true six-pointer that could definitively alter the J1 League title trajectory.
The Setup
On February 21, 2026, IAI Stadium Nihondaira hosts a defining fixture for both clubs. First-placed Vissel Kobe travel to face a fourth-placed Shimizu S-pulse side desperately trying to close the eight-point gap. The Stakes could not be higher; a win for the visitors cements their dominance, while a home victory blows the title race wide open. The visitors boast an intimidating Form rating, riding a four-match winning streak powered by away-day expertise. They have relied heavily on their Stars, with Daiya Maekawa shutting down opponents in goal. However, the hosts are no pushovers, featuring their own attacking threats like K. Kitagawa who will look to punish any defensive lapses.
Key Battle
The contest will be decided in the transition phases, pitting the home side's dynamic attacking unit directly against the visitors' disciplined defensive block. Whoever dictates the tempo in the middle third will likely emerge victorious.
Our Prediction
A low Balance rating highlights the visitors' clear advantage on paper. We expect Vissel Kobe to absorb early pressure before exploiting spaces on the counter, ultimately securing a vital away victory to tighten their grip on the league summit.