Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Shimizu S-Pulse 1st with 82 points, Blaublitz Akita 10th with 54, 28 apart. On the form table Blaublitz Akita stood 6th over the last five rounds, despite being 10th overall. In league terms the two rates read 0.95/0.92 for Blaublitz Akita and 1.79/1 for Shimizu S-Pulse (scored/conceded per game); the competition average is 1.24.
Blaublitz Akita had gone 6 games without a win. The last-five ledger: Blaublitz Akita 3/15, Shimizu S-Pulse 9/15.
Shoda Shoyu Stadium Gunma Stadium in Kings Langley, capacity 18,560, hosted the game. On the scoreboard, Blaublitz Akita led 2-0 at the break; 2 second-half goals set the final 3-1.