Ross Stewart blasted the Saints into the last eight of the FA Cup with a clinically taken penalty at Craven Cottage on Sunday and then told the television audience how he “lives for those moments.“
Stewart had been left out of the starting lineup after missing last week's trip to Hillsborough in the Championship as a precaution.
Southampton could have won the match earlier
The Saints had the better of the chances, although Fulham had far more of the ball in an end-to-end tie that could have gone either way.
Léo Scienza and Tom Fellows should have done better for the visitors when clean through on goal, and Muniz should have put the home side ahead in the second half.
When Azaz stepped inside Joachim Anderson's challenge and tumbled over his outstretched leg, the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. With the clock ticking into six minutes of added-on time, it was the Scot who stepped up.
Tonda Eckert delighted with his striker
The Saints boss, Tonda Eckert, was asked about his striker in the post-match interview on TNT Sports, and he had plenty of praise for his in-form striker.
Eckert described Stewart as a player with “unbelievable character“ and that there was nobody he would rather have over the ball in such a “high-pressure“ moment.
As far as the Southampton Head-Coach is concerned, Stewart “deserves to go to the World Cup“ with Scotland in the summer and it's hard to disagree on current form.
A confident penalty taker
Stewart described how he practices penalties a lot and was pleased to see the ball go in.
He praised the travelling fans who had turned up in their thousands. More than four and a half thousand had made the short journey to West London on a Sunday with the scent of Premiership blood.
Stewart looked measured as the VAR check was completed and hit the spot kick hard and low to the goalkeeper's right. Benjamin Lecomte just about got his fingertips on the ball, but the pace of the shot carried it past the Frenchman, much to the delight of Southampton's travelling army.
Southampton go into Monday night's draw alongside Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal, all of whom won on Saturday. Stewart acknowledged how tough it could be to emulate the side of 1976 with so many top teams still left in the competition.
Southampton fans left the Cottage singing about going to Wembley. The Saints are just one game away from a return to the national stadium in the 50th anniversary of their most famous day.