Saints cruise past Newport to secure cup progression

By SFC Media time Wed 25 Aug Newport County vs Saints
Photo by Matt Watson
Wed 25 Aug 7.45PM
Carabao Cup
Newport County
0
Southampton
8
goal
Broja [9' 57'] Tella [25'] Walker-Peters [44'] Elyounoussi [48' 55' 90+1'] Redmond [69']
Townsend (51') Lewis (78') Upson (81')
yellow card
Diallo (45+2')
Referee: Darren Drysdale | Venue: Rodney Parade | Attendance: 7,002

A much-changed Southampton side cruised into the third round of the Carabao Cup with an emphatic 8-0 win over Newport County in Wales.

A first Saints appearance for Armando Broja was marked with a poacher’s finish early on, with Nathan Tella and Kyle Walker-Peters putting the visitors in a commanding position at the halfway stage.

It was more of the same after the break, as a Mohamed Elyounoussi hat-trick, a second for Broja and Nathan Redmond effort inflicted a heavy defeat on the League Two outfit.

After naming an unchanged starting eleven for the opening two Premier League matches of the campaign, only captain James Ward-Prowse and Jack Stephens remained in the line-up at Rodney Parade.

Chelsea loanee Broja was handed a debut, whilst Fraser Forster, Yan Valery and Elyounoussi made their first appearances of the season.

Looking to quieten a vociferous home support who were back at Rodney Parade for the first time in 17 months, the visitors tested Nick Townsend within the opening five minutes, when Elyounoussi’s powerful strike from range had to be parried away.

NEWPORT, WALES - AUGUST 25: Armando Broja of Southampton scores the first goal of the game during the Carabao Cup second round match between Newport County and Southampton FC, at Rodney Parade on August 25, 2021 in Newport, Wales. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Armando Broja opens his Southampton account. (Photo: Matt Watson)

In response, Robbie Willmott’s cross almost picked out scorer in the last round Timmy Abraham in the middle, before Saints and Broja made it a dream start.

With just nine minutes on the clock the Albanian was first on the scene when Redmond’s strike could only be pushed back into the box by Townsend, instantly endearing the 19-year-old to the travelling faithful.

Causing havoc with their trademark high press, a turnover of possession saw Redmond fire a shot from the angle wide, when an unmarked Tella in the middle may have been a more viable option.

However, Tella didn’t have long to wait for an opportunity, as on 25 minutes the academy graduate latched onto Elyounoussi’s pass to race clear of the Exiles defence and coolly pick out the bottom corner for his first of the season.

Looking to kill off the tie before the halfway stage, Elyounoussi saw a snapshot from 12 yards pushed around the post by Townsend, before Walker-Peters and Redmond both squandered opportunities to notch a third ahead of the break.

NEWPORT, WALES - AUGUST 25: Nathan Tella of Southampton celebrates after scoring the second goal of the game during the Carabao Cup second round match between Newport County and Southampton FC, at Rodney Parade on August 25, 2021 in Newport, Wales. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Nathan Tella marked his first start of the season with a goal. (Photo: Matt Watson)

But a third was to come, and from an unlikely source, as Walker-Peters grabbed his first goal for the club with a drilled strike from just inside the box that caught Townsend out at his near post.

With the travelling Saints support treated to three goals in front of them in the opening 45 minutes, they were equally jubilant when the net rippled at the other end of the pitch after the restart, as a fourth took just two minutes to come.

After Broja did all the hard work with a run into the box and shot that clattered off of the post, Elyounoussi was on hand to convert his first goal for the club as Hasenhüttl’s side turned on the style.

Having waited three-years for his first, the Norwegian had barely seven minutes to wait for his second in red and white, racing onto Ward-Prowse’s defence splitting pass to leave Townsend with no chance.

With the floodgates well and truly open, there was little opportunity for the hosts to attempt to batten down the hatches before a sixth was dispatched, Elyounoussi this time turning provider to Broja who notched his second of the night with a strike into the top corner before the hour-mark. 

NEWPORT, WALES - AUGUST 25: Mohamed Elyounoussi of Southampton celebrates his teams fifth goal during the Carabao Cup second round match between Newport County and Southampton FC, at Rodney Parade on August 25, 2021 in Newport, Wales. (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Moi Elyounoussi grabbed a second-half brace. (Photo: Matt Watson)

After three goals in a frenzied nine-minute spell, Hasenhüttl took the opportunity to freshen up his front line with 25 minutes remaining, ending a successful night for Broja and Tella by introducing Michael Obafemi and Shane Long.

Doing little to ease Newport’s backs to the wall stance, Saints were back on the goal trail on 69 minutes, as Redmond became the fifth scorer of the night with a drilled strike into the bottom corner.

Seemingly finished in front of goal for the night, Elyounoussi had the last word when he wrapped up a second half hat-trick deep into stoppage time after cutting in from the left, rounding off an impressive individual display.

Having been knocked out by lower league opposition at the same stage last season, Saints made no mistake a year on as Hasenhüttl displayed the squad depth at his disposal across the border.

Newport County

Head to Head Stats

Southampton
  • Possession (%)
    31
    comparison angle
    69
  • Shots
    3
    comparison angle
    24
  • Shots on target
    0
    comparison angle
    14
  • Corners
    2
    comparison angle
    6
  • Passes Complete
    203
    comparison angle
    545

Newport County

30
Nick Townsend (GK) yellow card
8
Matthew Dolan (C)
replace Ed Upson (45′) yellow card
14
Aaron Lewis yellow card
15
Louis Hall
6
Priestley Farquharson
5
James Clarke
17
Scot Bennett
replace Jordan Greenidge (65′)
18
Finn Azaz
replace Kevin Ellison (45′)
7
Robbie Willmott
27
Christopher Missilou
16
Timmy Abraham
21
Lewis Collins
22
Kevin Ellison
29
Jordan Greenidge
1
Joe Day
3
Ryan Haynes
4
Ed Upson
11
Jermaine Hylton

Southampton

44
Fraser Forster (GK)
35
Jan Bednarek
43
Yan Valery
2
Kyle Walker-Peters goal
5
Jack Stephens
27
Ibrahima Diallo yellow card
8
James Ward-Prowse (C)
replace Theo Walcott (70′)
24
Mohamed Elyounoussi goal goal goal
23
Nathan Tella goal
replace Michael Obafemi (65′)
18
Armando Broja goal goal
replace Shane Long (65′)
11
Nathan Redmond goal
32
Theo Walcott
15
Romain Perraud
6
Oriol Romeu
22
Mohammed Salisu
14
Michael Obafemi
7
Shane Long
41
Harry Lewis
Highlights: Newport 0-8 Saints
Newport County vs Saints

Highlights: Newport 0-8 Saints

The action from a record-breaking night.

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