Southampton regained their spot in the top two of the Championship with a dominant 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Goals from Ryan Fraser and David Brooks secured the win for Russell Martin’s team, putting them one point ahead of Leeds in the competition for a swift promotion to the Premier League.
The home team was in control for a majority of the game, but West Brom’s manager, Carlos Corberán, was ejected for kicking the ball while it was still in play. Despite this, the home team was not awarded a penalty after Jack Stephens’ handball. The atmosphere at the Hawthorns was dampened as the team suffered a loss, especially with the presence of Shilen Patel, who is set to purchase an 87.8% stake in West Brom’s parent company. The takeover is expected to be finalized next week, marking the end of Guochuan Lai’s unhappy ownership. Patel was present in the directors’ box to witness the team’s third home league defeat of the season, leaving them in fifth place.
On Tuesday, Southampton’s 25-game unbeaten streak was broken by their 3-1 loss to Bristol City. The team was determined to make a comeback. Kyle Walker-Peters almost scored with a powerful shot, but shortly after, Corberán was sent off after just seven minutes. Alex Palmer prevented Adam Armstrong from scoring by blocking his shot, which came after a weak initial clearance.
Unfortunately, the delay was only temporary, as Southampton managed to score in the 14th minute. Fraser took a shot that bounced off target, but from the ensuing corner, the temporary Newcastle player managed to strike. Shea Charles passed the ball to Stuart Armstrong, who sent a deep cross that found Fraser, and his excellent cushioned volley hit the corner of the net.
Southampton’s goal allowed them to control the game, but they were unable to increase their advantage in the initial half. Adam Armstrong missed a chance, giving the opposing team a chance to regroup and pose a threat before halftime. Despite their efforts, West Brom’s John Swift missed a shot from 25 yards and they were upset when the referee did not call a handball on Southampton’s Jack Stephens in extra time.
In the second half, West Brom attempted to use their feeling of being wronged to their advantage. However, despite their efforts, they found it difficult to make a significant difference. A free-kick from Swift went over the crossbar and Southampton ultimately secured the victory with 17 minutes remaining.
The impressive substitute Joe Aribo started a sharp move when he found Stuart Armstrong to pop the ball into Samuel Edozie. He slipped in Brooks 10 yards out and the Bournemouth loanee spun away to drill past Palmer.
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Russell stated that it was the team’s greatest victory this season. Following Tuesday’s events, there was speculation on how the team would react, but they exceeded expectations. This is a significant moment for the team.
Source: theguardian.com
