Cucho Hernandez scored twice to offer Watford a decisive 2-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s and enhance the Hornets’ possibilities of survival within the Premier League.
The consequence sees Roy Hodgson’s group ending a streak of two consecutive defeats and stage with Seventeenth-placed Everton, who misplaced at house to Wolverhampton.
Watford opened the scoring within the 14th minute when Cucho pounced on a weak move from Southampton defender Muhammed Salisu and located the aim from a slender angle after he dribbled previous goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Then the unmarked Colombian doubled Watford’s lead after 20 minutes when he fastened himself and hit a cross from Jurai Koca.
Watford had a number of possibilities to take a 3-0 lead however Southampton fell again simply earlier than the break when Mohamed El Younosi headed Che Adams after a free kick from captain James Ward-Prowse.
Southampton continued to press after the break however Watford defended valiantly and took benefit of their luck late when Ward Prowse missed a free kick earlier than the VAR rejected calls to penalize Christian Capasil for handball. Southampton stays in tenth place after its third defeat in a row.
How Watford managed to attain an essential victory
The 2 groups misplaced on Thursday night, and Saints responded by leaving high scorer Armando Bruga on the bench, whereas Watford made three modifications from the 4-0 loss to Wolverhampton.
The smash in the course of the week dented Hertfordshire’s survival hopes and so they might have been two minutes behind. Stewart Armstrong crossed for Alyonosi on the other flank however the Norway worldwide noticed his header off the road by the called-up Kabassel.
Then Joao Pedro nearly gave the guests the lead when Saliso’s elimination went straight to the Brazilian, however Jan Bednarek saved his fellow central defender with a wonderful save.
Salisu and Saints didn’t be taught their lesson, because the opener arrived within the 14th minute after one other foul. First Forester’s ball popping out from behind was almost blocked and when Salisu tried to play once more seconds later his passes had been broken and Cucho curled the Southampton keeper and fired a shocking shot into the empty internet.
Kocho celebrates after scoring his second aim and Watford’s aim within the match
Within the thirty fourth minute, an outstanding transfer on the left flank Kucka took the lead and produced an outstanding cross move to the again publish, the place Kucka hit the web to double his tally and rating for Watford.
Kyle Walker Peters got here shut once more earlier than the break and Coca might have calmed the match, however Forster blocked the quarterback after being despatched in by Moussa Sissoko.
It felt pivotal when Al Younoussi pulled one again minutes after the break by directing a free kick from Ward Prowse behind Ben Foster.
Saints Broja’s high scorer was launched firstly of the second half however the participant on mortgage from Chelsea was properly organized by Kabasele, and the host’s greatest menace got here by way of set items. Salisu headed one other Ward-Prowse free kick after the hour, and Ralph Hessenhuttl superior with three aft in an try to drive the goalkeeper to equalise.
Kokka had one other probability to clinch the factors 19 minutes from time however his curling shot was saved by Forster and Kocho missed a triple alternative when he curled a counter-attack.
Free kicks continued to be Southampton’s largest menace and St Mary’s held his breath when Ward-Prowse lined up one late. The Saints captain hit the web floor and Foster saved Adams’ header earlier than the VAR rejected the hosts’ requires a handball on Capasil as Watford held out for an essential win.
Cucho celebrates after Watford beat Southampton 2-1 at St Marys
Eight stats
- Watford scored their first Premier League win over Southampton since September 2017 (2-0), ending a run of six such matches towards the Saints and not using a win (D3 L3).
- Southampton have misplaced consecutive house matches within the Premier League for the primary time since February 2023 (a three-match sequence).
- The eight factors that Watford have earned in 9 Premier League video games underneath Roy Hodgson have all come away from house (W2 D2 L2 away); Solely Chelsea (9) have scored extra factors on the highway for the reason that Hornets’ first recreation underneath Hodgson.
- Cucho Hernandez scored his fourth and fifth Premier League objectives for Watford (twenty second look), however his first two objectives went away. The Colombian has been immediately concerned in 4 objectives (three objectives, one move) in his final three matches within the competitors, and greater than that he has scored in his first 19 matches beforehand (two objectives, one move).
- Watford’s final 82 Premier League objectives have been scored from contained in the penalty space, since Gerard Deulofeu’s 19-yard strike towards Cardiff in February 2019.
- Watford’s Cucho Hernandez grew to become the seventh Colombian to attain a double within the Premier League, and the primary since James Rodriguez with Everton in October 2020.
What then?
Southampton’s subsequent Premier League match towards Burnley on Saturday has been postponed, and as a substitute they face Manchester Metropolis on Sunday at 3pm within the FA Cup quarter-final. The Saints will return to league matches on Saturday 2 April at 3pm towards Leeds.
Equally, Watford’s league match towards Everton on Sunday has been postponed and the Hornets’ subsequent Premier League match towards Liverpool will happen on Saturday, 2 April, at 12:30pm.
