Report: Strong Saints see off Stoke
Southampton moved three unbeaten in comfortable style, as a goal in each half secured a 2-0 win at Stoke in the Championship.
Kicking off early in Staffordshire, Saints wasted no time in taking the lead with just 10 minutes on the clock when Finn Azaz rounded off a clinical team move.
A dominant first half display failed to yield anything more in front of goal, but a deserved second came shortly after the restart through Flynn Downes’s first goal since April 2024.
The visitors calmly saw out victory to collect a first win on the road in seven to increase momentum heading into February.
After an unbeaten week that culminated in a draw in the south coast derby last Sunday, Tonda Eckert made two changes to the side on his birthday.
Tom Fellows was restored to the starting eleven in place of Kuryu Matsuki, while ahead of him Ross Stewart took the place of Adam Armstrong.
Armstrong and Cameron Archer were both absent from the matchday squad, giving prolific Under-21s striker Nick Oyekunle a spot amongst the substitutes.
With the hosts without a win at home in four and Saints winless on the road since November, something had to give at the bet365 Stadium.
Captain Jack Stephens’s perfectly timed intervention stopped Stoke’s top scorer Sorba Thomas troubling inside a minute, while Leo Scienza twice threatened at the other end.
Exchanging blows early on, Eckert’s side landed the first telling punch on the 10-minute mark.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis’s pinpoint pass cut through the Potters, setting Fellows free on the right, whose ball across the box narrowly evaded Ross Stewart but found Azaz in his stride who couldn’t miss from close range.
Finn Azaz turned home an eighth goal of the season at the bet365 Stadium
The hosts were nearly gifted an equaliser five minutes later when Peretz almost presented Milan Smit the ball on the edge of his own box with a misplaced pass, but the shot-stopper made amends shortly after in impressive fashion.
Junho Bae’s driving run ended with a shot from 20 yards, but Peretz’s full-stretch dive resulted in a strong hand diverting the ball over the crossbar.
In an entertaining encounter, Fellows look to add a goal to his assist with a well-hit strike from the right-hand side of the box, forcing Tommy Simkin into a parried save at the midway point of the half.
Chasing a second, referee Farai Hallam left the visitors’ bench enraged when he booked Azaz for simulation after a challenge from Ashley Phillips in the box, with replays suggesting the Republic of Ireland international had a strong case for a penalty.
Undeterred, the yellow and blue shirts continued to flood forward, although the lead stayed at one as the game reached the halfway point.
Needing to change the momentum of the game, Mark Robins made a triple change at the break, but instead watched his side go two down just seven minutes after the restart.
Flynn Downes grabbed a first goal since April 2024
Scienza’s corner was flicked on by Stewart to Downes at the back post, who, after scuffing his initial effort, was able to bundle the ball past Simkin with a flick of his right boot while on the floor.
Azaz went close to a second of the afternoon soon after as Saints look to put the result beyond doubt, freshening up the attack with 25 minutes left to play as Matsuki and Oyekunle, making just a second senior appearance, entered the fray.
Holding the hosts at arm’s length, Peretz was required late on to get the slightest of fingertips to Tatsuki Seko’s drilled shot to see it come back off the post, as Saints swerved any late drama.
Back to winning ways on the road, Eckert's side grow in confidence ahead of six games in February.
Stoke City: Simkin, Talovierov (Wilmot 46’), Phillips, Lawal, Bocat, Rigo (Seko 46’), Nzonzi (c) (Pearson 46’), Cisse, Junho (Fawunmi 78’), Thomas, Smit.
Unused substitutes: Fielding, Gibson, Cresswell, Smith, Curley.
Bookings: Fawunmi, Lawal.
Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (c), Welington, Downes, Jander (Charles 74’), Fellows (Manning 90’), Azaz, Scienza (Scienza 65’), Stewart (Oyekunle 65’).
Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Wood, Quarshie, Jelert, Robinson.
Goals: Azaz (10’), Downes (52’).
Bookings: Azaz, Stephens, Peretz.
