A brace from Charlie Austin helped Southampton ease past Sparta Prague in the Europa League to go top of Group K on Thursday evening.
Claude Puel named a much-changed starting eleven from the side that lost at Arsenal, with Cuco Martina, Maya Yoshida and Matt Targett all being brought in at the back with Virgil van Dijk taking the captains armband. There were also changes further up the pitch, as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse, Charlie Austin and Shane Long all started.
On a special night for Saints fans, most of whom have witnessed the club’s rise from League One to playing against Europe’s elite, it didn’t take long for their side to land the first blow, albeit in controversial fashion.
After consulting with both the linesman and the official behind the goal, German referee Manuel Grafe pointed to the spot as Sparta defender Costa Nhamoinesu was harshly adjudged to have handled in the area.
Further controversy was to follow, as Charlie Austin snatched the ball off of designated penalty taker Dusan Tadic, leading to a furious reaction from the Serb, with skipper Virgil van Dijk having to usher him away. Austin duly dispatched the spot-kick and all was forgiven in the celebrations.
It almost got even better for the hosts two minutes later, as James Ward-Prowse’s exquisite delivery from a corner found the head of Maya Yoshida, however, the Japanese defender couldn’t direct his header on target.
Southampton were playing superbly in the opening stages, keeping the ball excellently while utilising their target men effectively as well.
It was Charlie Austin again in the thick of the action, as Shane Long does well down the channel to cut the ball back for Cuco Martina, whose brilliant cross met the head of Austin, but his powerful header was rightly ruled out for offside.
It didn’t take long for Austin to grab his second, though, and this one did count. As Martina again whipped in a delightful ball from the right, Austin was again there to meet it with his head to steer the ball past Tomas Koubek in the Sparta goal to double Saints’ advantage.
Austin was making such a telling contribution to the game, always getting in the right position causing the Sparta defence all kinds of problems.
The visitors did eventually carve out half a chance, as Lukas Julis spooned the ball well over the top from a decent position.
As the second-half began, the visitors did briefly get a slight hold of the game. Saints struggled to retain possession comfortably, with Shane Long dropping deep to try and change the tempo.
Sparta did eventually manage to work Fraser Forster in the Saints goal, as the ball fell kindly to the feet of David Lafata, as his first time low shot was saved well by the Saints ‘keeper.
With twenty minutes to go, Puel brought on Nathan Redmond for Dusan Tadic, which proved to be an inspired decision as the former Norwich man bamboozled the visitors’ defence with his pace and trickery as the match wore on.
There was another change for Saints five minutes later, as two-goal hero Charlie Austin came off to a standing ovation, being replaced by Jay Rodriguez.
As the game drew to a close, Saints wrapped the game up once and for all. As Shane Long’s lovely pass picked out Jay Rodriguez, who calmly stroked the ball home to round off an excellent nights work and give Claude Puel the winning feeling for the first time as Saints’ gaffer.
Next up for Southampton is the Visit of Franceso Guidolin’s Swansea at St Mary’s, as Saints will look to keep the ball rolling and gain their first Premier League victory of the season.
