Southampton outclassed Cardiff City with a 4-0 win in the Bluebirds’ penultimate pre-season friendly.
It was the first time City supporters were allowed back inside the stadium since February 2020, but they were not treated to the victory they so desperately craved.
In fact, it was comprehensive and professional from the Premier League side.
A first-half goal from Theo Walcott gave Southampton control before Moussa Djenepo curled in a beautiful effort after the break.
And a late Che Adams double really put the nail in the coffin for the Bluebirds, who had flashes but did not create anywhere near enough chances.
Southampton’s quality in attack was evident right from the very first whistle. Ralph Hasenhuttl had picked an extremely strong starting lineup, probably not too far away from his strongest Premier League XI.
In attack, they just had a little more sharpness, but Cardiff’s defence was robust for the most part, with new signing Mark McGuinness really standing out at the heart of it.
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The game settled into a little bit of a parity after half an hour, with the ball being contested far more in the middle of the park.
From that came the first chance of the half. Mark Harris spotted Joel Bagan making an overlapping run behind the defence and into the box and he fed a pinpoint pass into his stride. The young left back hit it first time and struck it sweetly, but it was straight at Fraser Forster in the Saints goal.
But just two minutes later Southampton took the lead.
Uncharacteristically, Perry Ng was caught dawdling in possession and the lightning-quick Michael Obafemi closed him down and stole the ball in a dangerous area. Before the Bluebirds could regroup, Obafemi drilled in a low cross and Walcott side-footed home.
There would be another chance before the break, though, when Ryan Giles took a leaf out of Obafemi’s book and made an interception high up the pitch before bursting into the box, however his low shot across goal was denied by Forster’s outstretched right foot.
The visitors started the brighter of the two sides in the second half, but the next big chance fell to City.
Ryan Giles cut in on his left foot over on the right and whipped in a lovely, left-footed cross for Mark Harris, but the striker’s effort was saved once again by Forster.
But, again, it was the Premier League side who proved to be the more clinical.
After seven changes by Hasenhuttl, Southampton were fresh and ready to fire again. Djenepo picked one pass up on the left, cut inside Ng, far too easily, and whipped his effort into the top corner to double the advantage.
A lovely finish but, it must be said, Cardiff were far too accommodating.
Southampton gained a real head of steam late on and City struggled to keep pace.
One defence-splitting pass from Nathan Tella afforded a one-on-one chance for Adams and he dinked his effort over the onrushing Dillon Phillips to add a third.
But they were not done there. Cardiff threw their resources forward, desperately trying to find a goal for their fans, but the Saints broke away with devastating effect.
Adams was played in once again and he rounded Phillips before poking home his second and Southampton’s fourth of the evening.
That, as they say, was that.
More minutes in the legs, more exposure for the youngsters, but overall Mick McCarthy’s side were simply outplayed.
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Cardiff City XI: Phillips, Ng (Jones 70), McGuinness, Nelson, Brown, Bagan (T Davies 70), Bowen (Vaulks 82), Pack (Ralls 82), Trialist (Collins 57), Harris (Tomlin 70), Giles (Murphy 70).
Subs: Smithies, Ratcliffe, Flint, Connolly, Denham, D’Almeida, Whyte, Zimba.
Southampton XI: Forster, Valery (Walker-Peters 62), Stephens, Salisu (Bednarek 62), Perraud (Tella 62), Romeu, Diallo, Walcott (Redmond 62), Elyounoussi (Djenepo 62), Obafemi (Adams 62), Ings (Long 62).
Subs: McCarthy, Lewis, Olufunwa, Finnigan
Scroll down to relive the action.
