Match ends, Crystal Palace 0, Southampton 2.
01 Sep 2018
Southampton sink Palace for first league win of season
Danny Ings and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored as Southampton secured their first win of the Premier League season with victory at Crystal Palace.
Ings, signed on loan from Liverpool in the summer, confidently netted his second goal of the campaign after being set up by Cedric Soares.
Substitute Charlie Austin, who scored the Saints' Carabao Cup winner against Brighton in midweek, had the chance to double the lead on 65 minutes but his weak penalty - after Aaron Wan-Bissaka's handball - was saved by Wayne Hennessey.
Hojbjerg, who was sent off in the defeat by Leicester last weekend, added the second on the break in stoppage time after the visitors had to soak up concerted pressure in the closing stages.
Prior to Austin's penalty miss, James McArthur had gone close to equalising for the hosts when his curling effort struck the crossbar.
At the other end, the brilliant Alex McCarthy - called up to the England squad this week - denied Palace striker Christian Benteke from close range after an earlier save from Luka Milivojevic.
Saints' victory was Mark Hughes' first at Selhurst Park in six attempts as a Premier League manager.
- Relive the action as it happened
Relief for Hughes as Saints get a win
Southampton arrived at Selhurst Park having made a slow start to the season - a goalless draw with Burnley preceding consecutive defeats by Everton and Leicester.
And, though there is perhaps no immediate concern, a team that ended last season hovering precariously above the relegation zone needs to start showing signs of progress.
Buoyed by their midweek win, Hughes' side took control of a first half that lacked any real quality, though Hennessey was alert on the occasions the energetic Ings and Long did find a way through a well-drilled defence.
Saints returned from the interval with confidence, and Ings' well-executed goal looked to have set the tone for the visitors, who pressed on in pursuit of a second.
But Austin's penalty miss gave Palace momentum and will have caused concern for Hughes, whose side have lost 24 points from winning positions since the start of the 2017-18 season.
Things were different this time, though, and Saints' players put their bodies on the line to keep the hosts out, before Hojbjerg sealed a win that bring Hughes great relief.
More to follow.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
- 13Hennessey
- 29Wan-BissakaBooked at 64mins
- 34Kelly
- 12Sakho
- 3van Aanholt
- 10TownsendSubstituted forKouyatéat 72'minutes
- 18McArthur
- 4Milivojevic
- 15SchluppSubstituted forMeyerat 76'minutes
- 17Benteke
- 14J AyewSubstituted forSørlothat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ward
- 7Meyer
- 8Kouyaté
- 9Sørloth
- 31Guaita
- 42Puncheon
- 44Riedewald
Southampton
- 1McCarthy
- 2Cédric Soares
- 4VestergaardBooked at 77mins
- 6Hoedt
- 21Bertrand
- 11ElyounoussiSubstituted forTargettat 73'minutes
- 18Lemina
- 23Højbjerg
- 22Redmond
- 9IngsSubstituted forRomeuat 78'minutes
- 7LongSubstituted forAustinat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Yoshida
- 8Davis
- 10Austin
- 14Romeu
- 16Ward-Prowse
- 28Gunn
- 33Targett
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
Match Stats
Home TeamCrystal PalaceAway TeamSouthampton
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away6
- Corners
- Home7
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 0, Southampton 2.
Foul by Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace).
Charlie Austin (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!
Goal! Crystal Palace 0, Southampton 2. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Targett following a fast break.
Attempt blocked. Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Attempt blocked. Max Meyer (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Benteke.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Charlie Austin.
Attempt saved. Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alexander Sørloth with a headed pass.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
Attempt missed. Charlie Austin (Southampton) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right.
Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Martin Kelly (Crystal Palace).
Wesley Hoedt (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace).
Attempt missed. Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Luka Milivojevic with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Alex McCarthy.
Attempt saved. James McArthur (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
Attempt saved. Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Cheikhou Kouyaté.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Ryan Bertrand.
Foul by Matt Targett (Southampton).
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Southampton).
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) because of an injury.
Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Alexander Sørloth (Crystal Palace).
Foul by Matt Targett (Southampton).
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Oriol Romeu replaces Danny Ings.
Attempt missed. Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Max Meyer.
Booking
Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton).
Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Alexander Sørloth replaces Jordan Ayew.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Max Meyer replaces Jeffrey Schlupp.
Attempt blocked. James McArthur (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luka Milivojevic with a cross.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Alex McCarthy.
Attempt saved. Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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