Southampton’s second pre-season game came against Eredivise side PEC Zwolle in their first game of their tour of the Netherlands after touching down in the country yesterday.
The first opportunity of the game came after just two minutes. James Ward-Prowse struck an inch-perfect free kick that was heading for the top-right corner but the Zwolle ‘keeper pulled off an outstanding save to keep the score level early on.
In the 14th minute, however, came the first goal. Early on, Oriol Romeu showed off his passing expertise and the Spaniard impressed once again as he slotted through Charlie Austin for a one-on-one with the Zwolle goalkeeper, in which the striker calmly put it away as he made it 1-0 to The Saints.
Just before half-time, in the 43rd minute, Southampton doubled their lead with Nathan Redmond getting on the score-sheet. The move started with Matt Targett, who played an outside-of-the-foot ball to Ward-Prowse, who then flicked it over the defender into Austin’s path, who held the ball up well before touching it on to Redmond, who buried it for Southampton’s second goal; an impressive team goal.
Moments after that, in the 46th minute, came Southampton’s third. Redmond again, but on an individual run this time. He took on a few Zwolle players before then slotting the ball past the goalkeeper; the new signing had a great first half.
At half-time The Saints were three goals up. Some great individual performances from the first-team players; Romeu, Clasie, Redmond and van Dijk all had a brilliant first halves.
Changes were made at the break with only the goalkeeper; Paulo Gazzaniga was the only one that started who stayed on the pitch. The majority of the squads under-21’s players played the second half; with only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg not from the academy. Harrison Reed captained the side in the second half.
The second half was relatively quiet. In the 71st minute, Jake Hesketh made way as manager Claude Puel gave Jordan Turnbull game time for the last 20 minutes.
In the 80th minute, PEC Zwolle came close to bagging a goal. A low ball crossed into the box was skied over the bar from three yards; a poor, arguably laughable miss.
In the 87th minute, Southampton were granted a penalty but the Zwolle defenders appealed to the ref about the decision. This did not stop Hojbjerg from stepping up and making it 4-0 to the red and whites, however.
The game finished 4-0 to Southampton; Austin, Redmond with two and Hojbjerg tied up the goals, giving the side their second win in their pre-season friendlies so far.
The Saints have two more games to play in Holland, against FC Twente and FC Groningen, before coming back to the South Coast to play Athletic Bilbao at home.
