Southampton’s best-kept secret just blew up on the international stage

The international break has officially kicked off.

While Southampton continue to wait nervously for the final FA verdict on Tonda Eckert, one specific Saints player started for his country, and he experienced a dream debut for his nation when facing Uruguay.

The likes of Cyle Larin will have a bit longer to wait, with the 27th of September the date pencilled in for Les Rouges' first friendly match of three over the break, facing Chile.

But, for this star in question, he has already got the ball rolling for his country, in a very proud moment for the exciting St. Mary's forward.

The Saints star off the mark for his country

Kuryu Matsuki would travel all the way out to Miyagi Stadium in Rifu, Japan, to make his international debut for the Samurai Blue on Thursday.

Previously capped at U21 level, this would have been a big deal for Matsuki to gain a senior call-up, and he was thrust straight into the starting XI by Hajime Moriyasu for the showdown with Uruguay.

Used as a wing-back, he would break the deadlock with a delightful effort during the first half, sending the spectators inside the stadium into raptures.

He would praised by the international media watching on in their post-match writeups, with South American outlet El Pais stating that Juan Manuel Sanabria - for Uruguay - "couldn't contain" the direct nature of Matsuki in the build-up to that wonderfully taken strike hitting the back of the net.

Moriyasu was also complimentary afterwards, as he highlighted the 23-year-old's "hunger" throughout as a major plus point of his performance, away from his debut goal.

The Japan number 19 will be aiming to get on the scoresheet, again, when the Samurai Blue face off against Venezuela and Ecuador in quick succession, as Matsuki is now no longer Southampton's hidden gem.

Instead, he has burst into life on the international stage, with more eyes on him than ever before, and he will want to be uttered in the same breath as the aforementioned Larin back in Championship action, for being one of the Saints' most important players.

He is no longer Southampton's best-kept secret

Last season, Larin wasn't quite so well-known as he is now.

Indeed, when he first joined, he was viewed as somewhat of an unconvincing loan purchase, with a poor goal record at Feyenoord an obvious blemish on his well-travelled CV.

Right now, though, he is the Championship's top scorer for the season with seven strikes next to his name, and Matsuki will be wanting more and more goals to come his way, after a purple patch of form domestically, and out in Japan for his beloved nation.

Just before the break, he would score during the Saints' emphatic 4-1 win over Bristol City, as he calmly slotted home a slick passing move, much like his fierce effort beating the Uruguay keeper.

The target Matsuki will now be aiming to hit is to grab even more strikes so he can place himself in that same Larin bracket as an unbelievable Championship force to be reckoned with.

Eckert has backed the ex-FC Tokyo winger to hit double digits if he puts his mind to it, with the controversial head coach a big fan of the quick number 27 at St. Mary's.

Eckert might not be there on the sidelines to see Matsuki come into his own even more, heartbreakingly, as his FA verdict regarding Spygate still looms over proceedings, like a dark cloud that just won't go.

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