Report | Southampton 3 Swansea City 1

Swansea City’s unbeaten start to the Championship season came to an end as Southampton ran out winners at St Mary’s.

The home side had much the better of the opening half and led through goals from Finn Azaz and Cyle Larin at the break.

The Swans hit back when Zan Vipotnik opened his account for the season with a coolly taken penalty on his 100th appearance for the club, and gave the home side some nervous moments as they eyed an equaliser.

But their hopes of a share of the spoils were ended when a sharp counter-attack ended with Leo Scienza dispatching Southampton’s third goal to put the result beyond doubt.

The Swans had shown five changes from the draw with Wrexham as skipper Ben Cabango, Marko Stamenic, Elijah Just, Joseph Opoku and Vipotnik came into the starting line-up.

The visitors made an assured start, and created an opening when slick work from Vipotnik sent Stamenic heading towards goal, but the midfielder’s attempt to pick out a teammate in the area – when the chance was there to shoot – came to nothing.

At the other end, Southampton immediately crafted a chance of their own, Azaz blazing over after Stephen Welsh’s block had run out to him.

But there was no reprieve a few minutes later when Flynn Downes beat a trio of black shirts to a throw-in and laid off for Azaz to drive into the box and angle a shot across Lawrence Vigouroux and into the bottom corner.

Larin then had a header blocked and lifted the rebound over the bar as the home side piled the pressure on looking to add a quick second.

But Swansea responded, and it took an outstanding covering clearance from Kevin Schlotterbeck to deny Vipotnik an opportunity from Josh Tymon’s excellent delivery.

Opoku had a shot blocked, as did Scienza with the two sides enjoying promising positions but the hosts being the ones to make more of theirs.

On the half hour, a fine ball into the channel from Stephen Welsh picked out Stamenic’s forward run, and the New Zealander’s ball across the box was just beyond the stretching Vipotnik.

When Southampton crafted a similar opportunity barely 90 seconds later, they took it. Nathan Wood found the run of Tom Fellows, and his pass allowed Larin the time to take a touch and dispatch the ball beyond Vigouroux.

Downes could have compounded Swansea’s difficulties had he not put too much on a hooked effort from a Larin knockdown shortly before half-time, as the visitors returned to the dressing room with plenty to do.

Swansea needed a strong start to the second half and they carved out a good chance as Stamenic and Just combined to find half-time substitute Ronald, but the Brazilian could not keep down his left-footed strike.

But they were given the chance to pull one back from the spot when James Bree pulled down Vipotnik as he attempted to reach a flick-on in the box, and the Slovenian made no mistake to net his first goal of the season.

Just was unable to get a shot away after he had turned away from pressure 30 yards from goal as an energised Swansea searched for an equaliser, although Larin was the next to go close as he nodded a deflected cross wide of the target.

Swansea’s pressing work was forcing regular errors from the hosts but Southampton continued to carry a real threat, and Vigouroux made a superb save from Scienza inside the final 20 minutes.

Swansea spurned a fine chance when Stpehen Eustaquio blocked a pass out from the back and Yeo was worked into space, only for the winger to chip a wasteful cross over the bar.

Southampton took full advantage of the let off and broke away through substitute Kuryu Matsuki, who played in Scienza to put the game beyond Swansea.

Southampton: Daniel Peretz, Ryan Manning, Flynn Downes (captain), Léo Scienza (Samuel Edozie 85), Cyle Larin (Divin Mubamba 85), Finn Azaz, Kevin Schlotterbeck, James Bree, Nathan Wood, Tom Fellows (Kuryu Matsuki 76), James Ward-Prowse (Cameron Bragg 90). 

Unused Substitutes: George Long, Jack Stephens, Zach Abbott, Lewis Dobbin, Welington. 

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Filip Lissah, Ben Cabango (captain), Stephen Welsh, Josh Tymon; Jay Fulton (Melker Widell 63), Marko Stamenic, Elijah Just (Stephen Eustaquio 63); Moussa Yeo (Jisung Eom 78), Joseph Opoku (Ronald 46), Zan Vipotnik (Adam Idah 70).

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Josh Key, Jenson Seelt, Tiago Parente.

Referee: Lewis Smith

Attendance: 27,299