Southampton stamped their biggest win in recent club history yesterday on the back of a Yuto Nagatomo own-goal in the 69th minute, defeating Inter Milan 2-1.
It was a match that, at times, looked to be a frustrating repeat of San Siro, where Southampton dominated possession but came away empty-handed. A 33rd minute volley off Nerazzurri captain Mauro Icardi put the visiting Inter Milan up 1-0 as the first half of play ticked down.
The Saints would get a late chance to equalise as the half wound to a close, with a penalty called on the visitors for a foul in the box. Its taking was controversially delayed by a swarm of protesting Inter players and an elbow to the face of Southampton wing-back Sam McQueen that resulted in only a yellow card.
By the time the dust had settled, the one minute of stoppage time had approached 3 and Dusan Tadic had approached the ball at the spot. Tadic’s shot failed to fool Samir Handanovic, however, and the Saints were forced to march into the dressing room down one at home.
The second half began in the same chippy manner as the first had left off, with several non-calls for obstruction on corner kicks and questionable fouls in the box. By the half-hour mark, Southampton striker and de-facto savior Charlie Austin had been called to action as the Saints desperately pushed forward to avoid dropping two straight at home.
In the end, it would be not Austin but Virgil van Dijk with the equaliser. On a 65th minute Saints corner, the delivery fell first to Nathan Redmond and then to Oriol Romeu, whose shot was just high and clipped the crossbar. The third time was the charm, though, as Virgil’s golden touch stroked the ball easily into the back of Handanovic’s net to level it up.
It was the centre-half’s first goal of the season, and first-ever in a European competition.
With all the Saints’ skill on full display, it would in the end be a stroke of luck that propelled the club over the line with 3 points. A mere four minutes later, a cross into the box got misdirected off the thigh of Inter defender Yuto Nagatomo, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like that, Southampton were up 2-1 at St Mary’s against a side that did the treble the same year Saints won the decidedly less-glamourous Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.
Next: Preview: Southampton vs Inter Milan
Football, it has been said, has no memory. For the Southampton faithful, though, the 3rd of November will be one to remember for years to come. For Inter, who sacked manager Frank de Boer two days before the outing, it will be one to quickly forget.
Speaking to club media after the match, man of the match Virgil van Dijk could not contain his pride and excitement after taking part in a piece of Saints history before 30,000 at the home ground.
“It was a great night for us…and I felt we deserved that win,” van Dijk, acting captain, said. “Everyone in the club can be very proud and I’m proud of my team as well.”