Southampton get pre-season fixtures underway with Fulham draw

Southampton kicked off their pre-season fixtures with a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Two different line-ups played a half each as Shane Long’s early second-half strike was cancelled out by a Neeskens Kabano penalty.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side now move onto a training camp in Wales which will see them take on Championship teams Cardiff City and Swansea City on Tuesday and Saturday respectively.

This will provide further momentum for Saints before their home friendly against Athletic Bilbao on 7th August and the start of the Premier League season just a week after that.

Southampton show some decent form despite it being early days

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It is important to note that results in the early pre-season fixtures are really not that important – particularly when two different teams are playing a half each to build match fitness.

Despite that, Saints did look in some decent form against Fulham. Highlights can be viewed via southamptonfc.com.

Theo Walcott had the first chance of the game when he saw his flicked effort across goal saved after a clever through ball from Che Adams. Jack Stephens headed the resulting corner just wide.

Seven minutes before half-time, Nathan Tella met a James Ward-Prowse cross with a firm header but forced a flying stop once again from the Fulham goalkeeper, and then Moi Elyounoussi saw a tough chance come and go as the ball was plucked off his head from another Adams pass.

The second Saints 11 then got off to a great start in the second period. Yan Valery won the ball back on the right and combined with Danny Ings and Michael Obafemi before the latter squared across the box for Shane Long to open the scoring simply.

A couple of chances came and went for Moussa Djenepo after the winger showed good individual skill on both occasions, but Fulham equalised from the penalty spot after he had brought down Anthony Knockaert in the area.

Fraser Forster and Mohammed Salisu also had to be alert to stop Fulham from snatching a late win.

Saints first-half 11

McCarthy (GK); Walker-Peters, Stephens, Salisu, Perraud; Romeu, Ward-Prowse ©; Walcott, Elyounoussi; Tella, Adams.

Saints second-half 11

Forster (GK); Valery, Bednarek, Salisu (Olufunwa 77’), Djenepo; Diallo, Armstrong; Obafemi, Redmond; Long, Ings (c).