Tadic double gives Saints lift-off
Print Edition
Dusan Tadic鈥檚 brace gave Southampton鈥檚 stuttering English Premier League campaign lift-off with a comfortable 3-0 victory over promoted Norwich City at St Mary鈥檚 yesterday.
After Graziano Pelle poked Southampton ahead in the 45th minute Tadic took over with an impressive display, scoring quick-fire goals midway through the second half to give the south-coast club its first victory of the season.
Norwich defender Steven Whittaker was dismissed having received two yellow cards within four first-half minutes for professional fouls.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always important to get the first win out of the way,鈥 Southampton captain Jose Fonte told Sky Sports.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had the start we wanted in the league or European competitions but the most important thing today was getting back to winning games.
鈥淲e have massive responsibility now we are seen as a good team so we need to win and that鈥檚 the mentality we have to implant in every game.鈥
The surprise packages of last season having finished seventh, the Saints had been out-of-sorts, taking just two points from three games and failing to score since the opening day.
Yesterday鈥檚 first half was a microcosm of Southampton鈥檚 season, plenty of possession and chances but a lack of killer instinct in front of goal.
James Ward-Prowse, Fonte, Pelle and the impressive Sadio Mane all went close in a dominant yet fruitless opening 20 minutes for the hosts.
Having weathered the early storm Norwich grew into the game and Cameron Jerome headed a glaring opportunity narrowly wide from point-blank range.
Whittaker, however, undermined the team鈥檚 efforts after his dismissal with a block on Matt Targett followed 187 seconds later by a tug on the shirt of Tadic.
The hosts took advantage of their numerical advantage with Pelle beating Russel Martin to convert Mane鈥檚 cross just before halftime before Tadic鈥檚 brace.
Victory moved Southampton up to 10th with five points while Norwich sits one point adrift in 14th.
Manchester United was visiting Swansea City in the day鈥檚 late match.
On Saturday, Manchester City maintained its perfect start to the season with a 2-0 victory over promoted Watford as champion Chelsea suffered a shock 1-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
