Report: Saints complete positive week with win over Wednesday

Saints raced into a two-goal lead early in the game through Caspar Jander and Finn Azaz, who both netted their first goals for the club, and, although the visitors pulled one back through Harry Amass, the points were sealed when Adam Armstrong scored a fine goal shortly after half time.

It meant a second win of the season at St Mary’s for the team, as well as back-to-back league triumphs for the first time since late in the 2023/24 campaign, and completed a positive week under the guidance of Under-21s coach Tonda Eckert.

The interim boss made only one change to the starting line-up from the midweek win at QPR, as Azaz replaced Jay Robinson, who took up a place on the bench. The only other change came among the subs, where youngster Barnaby Williams was drafted in for the injured Cam Bragg.

Oriol Romeu waves to the crowd ahead of kick off at St Mary's (Photo: Matt Watson)

There was no place yet in the squad for Oriol Romeu, following his emotional return to the club as a free agent this week, with the midfielder still building up his fitness and conditioning having not played competitively so far this season. The 34-year-old was, however, introduced once again to the crowd ahead of kick off, with a huge ovation from the Saints fans as he emerged from the tunnel and onto the pitch.

They almost had more to cheer only three minutes into the game, when Saints were nearly gifted the lead. A clever, curling delivery from Taylor Harwood-Bellis caused issues for the Wednesday defence, with Sean Fusire almost calamitously chesting the ball past his own keeper and over the line, only to recover in time to hook it away from goal at the last moment.

Shortly after, Armstrong saw an appeal for a penalty dismissed when he went over in the area as Dominic Iorfa dangled a leg out to challenge him. Referee Reubyn Ricardo didn’t see enough in it to award anything, though.

It felt like a breakthrough could be coming, and it did indeed arrive in the ninth minute, as Jander bagged his first goal for the club.

Saints celebrate the opening goal from Caspar Jander (Photo: Matt Watson)

It was certainly an unusual one, as Ryan Manning’s low delivery from the left found the midfielder 18 yards out. He beat Max Lowe to it, taking a touch forward into the box, before challenging Liam Palmer for the ball, with the Wednesday defender hitting his clearance against Jander, sending the ball spinning back towards goal, where it slipped through the grasp of keeper Ethan Horvath, who couldn’t then prevent it from creeping just over the line.

A minute later, it was nearly 2-0, as a 20-yard strike from Adam Armstrong took a deflection and dipped just over the top corner.

The wait for the second goal was not a long one, however, as Azaz also got his first in a Saints shirt. Tom Fellows was the creator, bursting inside from the right and slipping a clever pass through to his teammate inside the area, with Azaz side-footing a shot across goal and into the far bottom corner.

Finn Azaz scored once and was a regular threat in the first half (Photo: Matt Watson)

At this point, it looked like Saints could run away with the game, but their advantage was halved on 25 minutes when Amass danced into space 25 yards out and sent a bouncing left-footed strike past Gavin Bazunu and just inside the far post to make it 2-1.

It could have then been 2-2 six minutes later, but Bazunu made a really good stop to keep out Bailey Cadamarteri’s effort, after he had taken a smart touch into space inside the box.

Back at the other end, Saints soon went close to restoring their two-goal lead, only for Fusire to clear off his own line from Azaz after initial efforts from Armstrong and Fellows had been saved, with Azaz also later fizzing an angled strike from distance a few yards wide of the far post.

The game was very much an open one and it felt like either team could realistically get the next goal, with only a fine save from Bazunu to tip over a Charlie McNeill strike in added time preventing the visitors from getting their second of the half.

Teenager Barnaby Williams made his senior Saints debut (Photo: Matt Watson)

Eckert used the interval to make a change, as 18-year-old Academy graduate Williams replaced Flynn Downes in midfield, with the youngster making his senior debut for the club.

Within two minutes of the restart, Saints restored their two-goal lead.

A pass down the right from Harwood-Bellis was brilliantly latched onto by Armstrong, who raced towards the area, cut inside Palmer and finished wonderfully with the outside of his right foot, sending the ball past Horvath and inside the far post.

Adam Armstrong produces a fantastic finish to put Saints 3-1 ahead (Photo: Matt Watson)

It was the ideal start to the second half for Saints, putting them back into firm control of the match, and they kept a better grip of it than they had earlier in the game.

Eckert withdrew Léo Scienza on 66 minutes after another strong display, sending Robinson on in his place, before later introducing Mads Roerslev and Damion Downs for Fellows and Azaz – although Saints would later lose Roerslev to injury.

Wednesday did push for a way back into the game and created some half chances, but nothing that really troubled Bazunu, as the hosts held on comfortably to pick up an important three points.

Southampton: Bazunu, Fellows (Roerslev 77, Quarshie 88), Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Downes (Williams 46), Jander, Azaz (Downs 77), Scienza (Robinson 66), Armstrong.

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Edwards, Matsuki, Aribo.

Goals: Jander (9’), Azaz (17’), Armstrong (47’).

Booked: Jander, Bazunu.

Sheffield Wednesday: Horvath, Fusire, Palmer (Ugbo 68), Iorfa, M Lowe, Amass, Valery, Ingelsson, Bannan (captain), McNeill (J Lowe 55), Cadamarteri.

Unused substitutes: Stretch, Emery, Otegbayo, McGhee, Johnson, Thornton, Fernandes.

Goals: Amass (25’).

Booked: Palmer, Bannan.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo.

Attendance: 27,607.