West Brom 1-2 Southampton: Saints progress in FA Cup clash
By Chris Hughes
Southampton have progressed to the quarter finals of the competition with their victory, defeating the Baggies for the third time this campaign.
Its the first time the Saints have reached the final eight of the cup for 13 years and it came thanks to goals from Wesley Hoedt and Dusan Tadic either side of half time.
The Saints went into the game having won at the Hawthorns a fortnight ago, with that match ending 3-2 to the away side.
That game had a lot more importance with Premier League survival on the agenda, but today’s win will provide a fresh boost of confidence after the disappointing loss to Liverpool last Sunday.
Whilst the goalscorers will get the headlines, the victory also saw Nathan Redmond return to the squad for the first time in almost two months, with the English winger dropped after a string of poor performances left him being booed by his own supporters.
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The Saints took an early lead in the encounter, with the opening goal – much like when the two teams a fortnight ago – coming from a corner.
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James Ward-Prowse continued his purple patch with another assist, when his fizzing corner found an un-marked Wesley Hoedt at the far post. It was the Dutchman’s first goal in red and white, with the defending from the Baggies being particularly suspect.
After half time, Southampton continued to dominate having enjoyed nearly two-thirds of the first half possession – and soon they were rewarded for their efforts. A swift counter attack saw new signing Guido Carrillo link up with Dusan Tadic with the latter scoring a sublime chip to give the Saints some breathing space.
However the match was set up for a nervy finish, when a long ball forward from Alan Pardew’s side found Salomon Rondon, with the Venezuelan hitting a sweet half-volley which caught Alex McCarthy totally off guard to fly into the top corner.
Thankfully for the supporters, the away side help on to progress to the next round whilst also preventing a replay. A cup run could be great for the side’s momentum.