U21 Report: Saints 3-1 Bournemouth

All of the goals were scored in an eventful first half that ended with a red card for Cherries left-back Ade Solanke.

Saints were sharp out of the blocks, as Harry Gathercole threaded a pass through for Romeo Akachukwu, who rounded the keeper to score but was harshly judged to have fouled his marker in doing so.

Replays suggested Akachukwu was simply stronger than his opponent, but Saints would not have to wait long to make the breakthrough.

With 11 minutes on the clock, Akachukwu found Sufianu Sillah Dibaga on the left wing. Carrying the ball deep into Bournemouth territory, Sillah Dibaga cut back on to his right foot and curled an inch-perfect shot inside the far post from 16 yards.

The speed of Saints’ counter-attacking was too much for the visitors, and five minutes later it was 2-0.

Gathercole burst over the halfway line and found Akacukwu on the edge of the penalty area, who used the defender in front of him as a shield to unsight the keeper and beautifully curled the ball around him to find the top corner in similar style to Sillah Dibaga’s opener.

Bournemouth were able to hit back midway through the first half when Charlie Stevens beat Dylan Moody to a through ball, poking the ball away from the Saints stopper, whose momentum carried him into the attacker for a penalty.

Up stepped Ethan Sills to beat Moody, firing the resulting spot-kick low to the keeper’s left to halve the deficit.

But Saints restored their two-goal buffer 10 minutes later through an unfamiliar source.

Again Akachukwu’s strength and power was at the heart of it, before Sillah Dibaga’s deep cross from the left was turned back into the danger zone by Gathercole and forced home by Mads Roerslev from close range.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Solanke was sent off in first-half stoppage time, kicking out at Gathercole after a scuffle on the touchline.

That led to a more relaxing second period for the hosts, who did threaten to add a late fourth when Gathercole’s low shot was well saved, before Max Little’s goal-bound shot was blocked on the line, but the win was rarely in doubt.

Southampton U21: Moody, Roerslev (Adjei-Afriyie 60), Kayi Sanda (c), Day (Gbajumo 84), Anderson (Boot 76), McMullan, Daley, Little, Gathercole, Sillah Dibaga, Akachukwu (Hawe 76).

Unused substitutes: Grieves, Whittaker, Bailey.

Goals: Sillah Dibaga (11’), Akachukwu (16’), Roerslev (35’).

Booked: McMullan.

Bournemouth U21: Allan, Lyall-Rajendra (Nyarko 46), William, Ali, Solanke, Chubinidze (Drewett 76), Sills, Winterburn (c), Azzouz Scafe (Oluwande 64), Stevens, Ndimukum (Osazee 64).

Unused substitutes: Dixon.

Goals: Sills (25’ pen).

Sent off: Solanke (45+2’).

Referee: James Durkin.