SHIZUOKA, Japan (Interstat) — Substitute Naoki Hayashi scored a pair of goals just moments after entering the match, propelling Shimizu S-Pulse to a 1-0 victory over Tokyo Verdy in a J1 League contest Saturday at IAI Stadium Nihondaira.

The match, a defensive struggle defined by a flurry of early yellow cards, was decided by a brief, explosive sequence in the 18th minute. Hayashi, who had just been substituted onto the pitch, found the back of the net twice in quick succession. The goals, both assisted by defender Yūtaka Yoshida, were enough to secure all three points for the home side and spoil Tokyo Verdy’s season opener.

The game’s frantic pace was established early, with Shimizu S-Pulse’s Kosuke Saito receiving a yellow card in just the 4th minute. The physical tone continued as Tokyo Verdy’s Koki Morita was booked in the 39th minute. The first half concluded with the home side holding a narrow lead thanks to Hayashi’s decisive double strike.

The second half saw no let-up in the officiating, with Yoshida earning a caution for Shimizu S-Pulse in the 56th minute and Tokyo Verdy’s Matheus Bueno being shown a yellow card in the 68th minute. Despite the numerous infractions, no players were sent off, and Verdy was unable to convert their efforts into a scoring response, leaving them shut out for the match.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 1-1 draw. Their ELO rating system had given Shimizu S-Pulse a 59.90 percent probability of winning, a forecast the home side narrowly but effectively fulfilled.

With the win, Shimizu S-Pulse begins their J1 League campaign with a perfect record of one win and zero losses. Their overall record across all competitions also improves to one win and zero losses, building on a 2-0 victory over Consadole Sapporo from the previous month. The club will look to maintain this positive momentum as the season progresses.

For Tokyo Verdy, the loss marks a disappointing start to their league season, leaving them with a record of zero wins and zero losses. Their overall record across all competitions also stands at zero wins and zero losses. The team will aim to regroup and find their offensive rhythm after being held scoreless in their first competitive outing.

The match highlighted the immediate impact a substitute can have, with Hayashi’s clinical finishing proving to be the sole difference between the two sides. Defensively, Shimizu S-Pulse, marshaled by the dual-assist performance from Yoshida, held firm against Tokyo Verdy’s attacks to secure a clean sheet and a valuable opening-day victory.