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Saints signed off for pre-season with a morale boosting 2-0 win over Sevilla at St Mary’s.
Goals in either half from Jack Stephens and Manolo Gabbiadini ensured that Mauricio Pellegrino’s side quickly shrugged off the heavy midweek loss to Augsburg and built some confidence ahead of the Premier League opener against Swansea.
Stephens’ heavily deflected opener was also the first Saints goal at St Mary’s since April 5, with the team having gone five games without scoring at the end of last season.
Saints started the game positively, and tried to get on the front foot from the off.
Manolo Gabbiadini was playing through the middle as the lone striker in a 4-2-3-1.
However, the early concern was that Saints looked a little nervy at the back.
Fraser Forster had his first taste of action on five minutes as Luis Muriel was found from the right, but a heavy first touch on the edge of the six yard box gave the Saints keeper the chance to dive on the loose ball.
Muriel was in the thick of the action again seven minutes later as he picked up the ball and ran forward from deep.
He eventually made his way to the edge of the area and took on a shot but it was straight at Forster.
Sevilla were doing a good job at keeping the ball and testing Saints’ discipline, but Pellegrino’s men broke free and worked Sergio Rico for the first time on 20 minutes.
Gabbiadini drilled in a low shot from outside the area that the Sevilla keeper got down to his left to save.
The Italian almost turned provider moments later as he fizzed a superb low ball across the six yard box which James Ward-Prowse wasn’t quite able to reach.
Saints were suddenly on top and Nathan Redmond was the next to work Rico with a shot from 20 yards forcing the keeper to save at his near post.
The pressure paid off on 26 minutes as Saints converted from the corner.
The goal owed a certain to good fortune as the ball came through to Jack Stephens at the far post and he managed to convert, albeit via a considerable deflection.
There was a brief moment of panic in the Saints penalty area as a left wing free kick caused a few problems but Saints were eventually able to clear the danger.
Sevilla continued to enjoy prolonged spells of possession for the remainder of the first half, but Saints showed great discipline with their defending.
They were prepared to get everybody behind the ball, drop deep and make themselves very hard to break down.
With Sevilla having so little room in and around the box they weren’t able to pick Saints apart with their intricate passing game, and Pellegrino’s men went in at half time with their one goal advantage still in place.
Sevilla made a raft of half time changes – switching nine of their ten outfield players - as they tried to give their squad game time bearing in mind they are also playing Everton on Sunday.
Saints had a chance to try and double their lead eight minutes after the restart as Dusan Tadic was brought down just outside the area in a central position as he broke forward.
Gabbiadini drilled the free kick hard and low into the wall.
The ball ricocheted about in the area and came to Stephens, who was stood on his own seven yards from goal and produced a good finish to turn home.
However, after a few moments of deliberation the linesman raised his flag for offside and the goal was ruled out.
Maya Yoshida needed an extended period of treatment after taking a heavy whack on his left leg. He tried to carry on but eventually signalled to the bench he needed to be replaced with Jan Bednarek coming on for him on 63 minutes.
At the same time Saints brought on young defender Jake Flannigan for Cedric Soares, who got a solid first outing of pre-season under his belt.
Sofiane Boufal was the next to make his entrance, as he came on for Redmond.
All the changes made the second half much more disjointed than the first had been. There was little sense of rhythm to the match due to the disruptions and both sides were struggling to find any real rhythm.
Shane Long was given a chance to impress as he replaced Ward-Prowse on 73 minutes.
In what was the first meaningful effort on goal of the second half, substitute Flannigan worked Rico.
He produced a well-controlled half volley from inside the area that Rico had to parry away.
Saints continued their forward momentum and bagged a second goal eight minutes from time.
It was well worked and a pleasingly slick move.
Tadic played the ball into Steven Davis, whose nice flicked touch found Gabbiadini, and he produced a clinical low finish for 2-0.
That was the Italian’s last action as Sam Gallagher came on to replace him, while Sam McQueen was introduced for Ryan Bertrand.
Saints got another set-piece chance from a free kick in the final minutes of the game.
This time it was from longer range 25 yards out and to the right of centre.
Tadic stepped up to take it and tried to get it up and down but it sailed over the bar.
The Serbian had another sight of goal in stoppage time as Boufal drove a corner to him just inside the area. It was a technically tough chance which Tadic scuffed and it was cleared with what proved to be the last action of the game.
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