Polessya vs Shimizu S-pulse

Polessya started brightly and took the lead inside six minutes. Congolese forward Borel Tomandzoto found the net to put the Ukrainian side 1-0 up, offering an early return on the pre-season work Rotan's squad have put in since arriving in Austria.

Shimizu responded inside 21 minutes. Koya Kitagawa equalised for the Japanese side, levelling the score at 1-1 before half-time.

The game's pivotal moment arrived two minutes into the second half. Polessya were awarded a penalty in the 47th minute, but the spot-kick was missed — a squandered opportunity that would prove costly. The provider payload records the attempt as a missed penalty, and the score remained 1-1.

Shimizu capitalised on the reprieve. Ryo Germain put the J1 League side ahead in the 58th minute, and then sealed the result with a second goal in the 81st minute to make it 3-1. No cards were shown across the 90 minutes, according to match data.

The missed penalty in the 47th minute. Polessya had the chance to regain the lead immediately after the restart, having drawn level at 1-1 at the break. Instead, the failed spot-kick shifted momentum decisively in Shimizu's favour. Within 11 minutes of the miss, Germain had put the Japanese side ahead, and Polessya never recovered.

Ryo Germain (Shimizu S-Pulse) — The standout performer of the match. Germain scored twice in the second half (58', 81'), turning a tight contest into a comfortable win. His movement and finishing proved the difference between the sides.

Borel Tomandzoto (Polessya) — Scored Polessya's only goal with a well-taken finish in the 6th minute. The Congolese forward was a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating afternoon for the Ukrainian side.

Koya Kitagawa (Shimizu S-Pulse) — Scored the crucial equaliser in the 21st minute, restoring parity after Polessya's early strike and setting the platform for Shimizu's second-half dominance.

The match featured five goal events and zero cards — unsurprising for a pre-season friendly. The 1-1 half-time scoreline suggests a competitive opening period, but the second-half stats tell a different story: Shimizu scored twice after Polessya missed their penalty, and the 81st-minute third goal confirmed the Japanese side's growing control. The 3-1 final scoreline flattered neither side; it reflected Shimizu's sharper finishing in the decisive moments.

This was Polessya's first of two friendlies scheduled on 14 July. Rotan's side were due to face Viktoria Plzeň later the same day (16:30 local time) with a rotated lineup. The Ukrainian club are preparing for the 2026-27 season, which opens on 23 July with the first leg of their UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie against FC Copenhagen, followed by the return leg on 30 July.

Polessya finished third in the Ukrainian Premier League last season with 59 points from 30 matches, securing European qualification. Shimizu S-Pulse used the fixture as part of their European training camp, testing themselves against a side that will play competitive European football within days.

For betting purposes, Polessya's form in pre-season has been mixed: a 4-0 win over CSKA Sofia (24 June), a 0-0 draw with Jagiellonia (9 July), and a 2-1 win over WSG Tirol (10 July) preceded this defeat. The double-header scheduling against Shimizu and then Viktoria Plzeň in one day suggests Rotan is prioritising fitness and squad rotation over results at this stage of pre-season.

A productive workout for both sides, but Shimizu S-Pulse's second-half quality told. Polessya's missed penalty was the clear inflection point — take it, and the game may have unfolded differently. For Rotan, the scoreline matters less than the conditioning work ahead of the Copenhagen tie, but the wasted chance from 12 yards will be a point of focus.