U21 Report: Wolves 0-2 Saints
Southampton Under-21s maintained their unbeaten start to their Premier League 2 campaign with victory at Wolves on Friday 18th September.
Picking up a third win of the season to sit second in the table only behind Spurs on goal difference, Adam Lallana’s side put on a dominant display in the Midlands.
Registering 24 shots in total, Princewill Ehibhatiomhan’s brace was enough to pick up all three points at Aggborough Stadium heading into the international break.
Lively from the start, Saints could have opened the scoring after just a minute when Romeu Akachukwu won possession 20 yards out before slipping in Ehibhatiomhan, whose shot from the angle was heroically deflected over the bar by Alfie White.
The visitors continued their lively start and should have opened the scoring five minutes in.
Harry Gathercole’s positive run ended with a perfectly weighted pass through for Sufianu Sillah Dibaga, but the winger dragged his shot wide of the target with only Josh Gracey to beat.
Wolves responded with their first chance of the game moments later when Tom Edozie, brother of Saints winger Sam, fired straight at Dylan Moody from just inside the box.
Luke Rawlings flashed a free-kick just wide after Akachukwu threatened at the other end, before the deadlock was finally broken.
Princewill Ehibhatiomhan grabbed a brace
Calum Anderson’s pass released Sillah Dibaga to the byline, whose cutback was controlled and stroked home by Ehibhatiomhan.
The lead was almost doubled five minutes later when Sillah Dibaga played in Akachukwu, but his shot was pushed away by Gracey before Ehibhatiomhan crashed a first-time shot off the crossbar just before the break.
With Saints’ attack causing all sorts of problem, the onslaught continued after the restart as Ehibhatiomhan flashed an effort wide of the target after making room for a shot on the edge of the box.
A second wasn’t long in coming though, through the same combination as the opener.
Sillah Dibaga again got to the byline before perfectly picking out Saints’ number nine who did the rest with a volleyed strike from six yards.
Gracey was needed just past the hour-mark to deny Ehibhatiomhan his hat-trick with a smart save down to his right, but Wolves could muster no response as Lallana’s side claimed a deserved three points.
Wolves: Gracey, Dayman, Nolan-Ruddock (Aneke 46’), White, Okuduwa, Bradbury (Ashworth 60’), Gonzalez (Ballard-Matthews 76’), Rawlings, Angel, Edozie (O’Donnell 76’), Ji (Anunlopo 46’).
Unused substitutes: Arnold, Fraser.
Booked: Ji, Okoduwa.
Southampton: Moody, Adjei-Afriyie, Kayi Sanda, Day, Anderson (Sewell 75’), McMullan, Daley, Akachukwu, Sillah Dibaga (Little 68’), Gathercole, Ehibhatiomhan (Bailey 88’).
Unused substitutes: Grieves, Whittaker, Gbajumo, Charles.
Goals: Ehibhatiomhan (29’, 53’).
Booked: Kayi Sanda, Anderson, McMullan, Little, Gathercole.
Referee: Richard Aspinall.
