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Southampton: Saints players feature in November friendly games

By Chris Hughes

LILLE, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 10: Maya Yoshida of Japan looks on during the international friendly match between Brazil and Japan at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on November 10, 2017 in Lille, France. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LILLE, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 10: Maya Yoshida of Japan looks on during the international friendly match between Brazil and Japan at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on November 10, 2017 in Lille, France. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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With World Cup qualification over for many respective national sides, several Southampton players featured in friendly games for their teams.

The Saints duo of VVD and Tadic were both on the winning sides of their respective games, with the Netherlands beating Scotland and Serbia beating China. However, Yoshida and his Japan side couldn’t stop a merciless Brazil side from strolling to a 3-1 win.

With all hope of qualifying for next year’s World Cup gone, Van Dijk and the Netherlands side only competed in friendlies, with another next week against Romania.

Wesley Hoedt withdrew from the squad through injury but his Southampton teammate still featured, with Memphis Depay’s first-half strike proving the difference.

Meanwhile Tadic and his Serbia side have bee on the other side of the world for their friendlies, with South Korea their next opponents. The playmaker played the full 90 today as his side strolled to a 2-0 win over China.

BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: Jamie Vardy, Ryan Bertrand and Kieran Trippier of England in action during a England training session at St Georges Park on November 9, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: Jamie Vardy, Ryan Bertrand and Kieran Trippier of England in action during a England training session at St Georges Park on November 9, 2017 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

Yoshida and his Japan side were unable to stop Brazil’s impressive attacking line in an earlier kick-off, with Neymar and Gabriel Jesus both scoring either side of an impressive drive from Real Madrid full-back Marcelo.

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The 29-year-old Yoshida himself came close to scoring, with his deflected free-kick cannoning back off the crossbar.

In some of the later kick-offs, Jan Bednarek, Manolo Gabbiadini and Ryan Bertrand were all named among the substitutes for Poland, Italy and England respectively.

The latter came on late, having been on the bench with Danny Rose playing as left-wing-back in the friendly against Germany. Bertrand had a positive impact upon being brought off the bench, but the game remained goalless. The left-back will be hoping to get the starting nod when England face Brazil in a friendly early next week.

Shane Long’s Republic of Ireland are among the team’s who will play in international friendlies tomorrow.

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