Report: Saints inflict first league loss on leaders Swansea

After putting five past Millwall last time out on home soil, Saints raced into a 2-0 lead against the Swans, as Finn Azaz drilled in the first with a left-footed shot from the edge of the box before Cyle Larin finished off a flowing move down the right.

The visitors, rejuvenated after the restart, pulled one back early in the second period through Zan Vipotnik’s penalty, but Leo Scienza made the game safe with a nerve-settling third with 12 minutes left, taking Saints’ tally of goals to 11 in three home league games at the start of the new campaign.

Tonda Eckert made three changes to his side, including two former Swans, as Nathan Wood and Ryan Manning joined captain Flynn Downes in the starting line-up.

Elsewhere, Tom Fellows was preferred to Kuryu Matsuki, while Jack Stephens and Welington joined Matsuki on the bench.

Saints should have been in front inside four minutes against the team who arrived at St Mary’s on top of the early season Championship table.

Leo Scienza’s clever pass with the outside of his right boot released Manning in behind the defence, whose low cross was half-cleared invitingly into the path of Azaz, who uncharacteristically rushed the chance, blazing his first-time shot high into the Chapel Stand as Eckert turned away in anguish.

But the same player would make no mistake five minutes later. After Downes broke forward into Swansea territory, Azaz received a short pass from his captain on the edge of the box, shifting the ball from his right foot to his left and drilling a low shot across goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, who got fingertips to the ball but could not keep it out.

Finn Azaz fires Saints into a ninth-minute lead under the lights at St Mary's

Saints had made a statement on their last St Mary’s outing, against then table-toppers Millwall, and were tearing into Swansea, as Larin had his first sight of goal from a Manning corner, seeing an initial header blocked before wildly firing the follow-up over the bar.

When the visitors were able to summon a counter-attack, following another Saints corner, Keven Schlotterbeck timed his tackle to perfection to halt Joseph Opoku in his tracks after the speedy winger had been held up by James Ward-Prowse, who was making his first St Mary’s start in three and a half years.

Schlotterbeck was alert again to intercept a teasing cross towards Vipotnik, last season’s 23-goal top scorer in the Championship, who was inches away from connecting with another low ball from Marko Stamenic as the Swans hunted a way back into the contest.

Instead Saints would double the lead on 33 minutes, as the in-form Larin continued his happy habit of being in the right place at the right time.

It was a wonderfully-worked goal, as Wood threaded a pass through the inside-right channel for James Bree, whose first-time cross was steered home by Larin with his left foot, opening up his body to guide the ball into the far corner of the net with all the confidence of a man at the top of his game.

A similar move down the right saw Scienza pop up on that side and cross deep for Larin, whose nod down was hooked over by Downes, whose grin as he jogged back into position demonstrated how much Saints were enjoying themselves.

The Swans’ half-time response was to introduce Brazilian winger Ronald in place of Opoku, and the substitute immediately had a sight of goal when he fired over from Elijah Just’s low cross.

It was a warning sign from the revived visitors, and when Bree pulled back the burly figure of Vipotnik in the box, up he stepped to score his first goal of the season from the penalty spot at the end of a stuttering run up.

Cyle Larin celebrates his sixth goal in eight games in all competitions this season

Saints sensed the need for a third goal. Roared on by the home support, Scienza’s cross from the left took two deflections en route to Larin, who craned his neck to connect and nearly scored with an improbable glancing header.

The last sight the Saints fans wanted to see was Larin prostrate on the St Mary’s turf, but the striker stayed down after a nasty-looking aerial collision that led to an impromptu drinks break for everybody else.

By now Vitor Matos had made four substitutions compared to Eckert’s none, but Larin’s importance was underlined as he stayed on the field.

It would take a stunning save from Vigouroux to keep Swansea within one goal of Saints’ tender lead, as Downes’ deflected pass rolled kindly for Scienza, whose instinctive driven shot was brilliantly turned aside by the keeper with less than 20 minutes left.

When Eckert did make a change, it was to introduce Matsuki for Fellows, who departed to loud applause before his replacement assisted Scienza’s clincher.

Azaz had a big part to play, claiming possession on the halfway line with some neat footwork and stabbing the ball through for Matsuki, who picked the right pass to find Scienza as the spare man on the far side of the penalty area, inviting the Brazilian to take a touch and stroke home Saints’ third in front of a jubilant Northam End.

Substitute Divin Mubama threatened a fourth with a fierce shot towards the near post, but Saints had done enough to inflict a first league defeat of the season on the Welsh side.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Wood, Schlotterbeck, Manning, Downes (c), Ward-Prowse (Bragg 90+2’), Fellows (Matsuki 76), Azaz, Scienza (Edozie 85), Larin (Mubama 85).

Subs not used: Long, Stephens, Abbott, Welington, Dobbin.

Goals: Azaz (9’), Larin (33’).

Swansea City: Vigouroux, Lissah, Cabango (c), Welsh, Tymon, Fulton (Eustaquio 63), Stamenic, Opoku (Ronald 46), Just (Widell 63), Yeo (Eom 78), Vipotnik (Idah 70).

Subs not used: Fisher, Key, Seelt, Parente.

Goals: Vipotnik (52’ pen).

Booked: Ronald.

Attendance: 27,299.

Referee: Lewis Smith.