- Van Dijk scores first Saints goal
- Swans without a win in three
- Mane scores first goal of season
- Saints up to ninth in table
Southampton eased to a 3-1 win over Swansea City at St Mary’s on Saturday, as Virgil van Dijk, Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane were all on the scoresheet.
Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a late consolation from the penalty spot to make it 3-1, but in truth it was a dominant display from Saints who thoroughly deserved the win.
With the victory Ronald Koeman’s side move up to ninth on nine points, while Swansea are in 11th, also on nine points.
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Saints started brightly as Mane put an effort over the bar but then Marteen Stekelenburg was forced into a good save from Jonjo Shelvey’s effort from distance and Ki blazed the rebound over the bar.
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Southampton continued to push after that chance for Swansea and Mane went agonizingly close to taking the lead as he dragged his shot from a Pelle flick on just wide of the far post.
8 - Sadio Mane has scored or assisted eight goals in his last five Premier League appearances at St. Mary’s (four goals, four assists). Main
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 26, 2015
Soon after Saints did go 1-0 up as James Ward-Prowse’s corner was headed home at the near post by Van Dijk for this first goal in the red and white stripes. Swansea responded well to going behind as Ki caused Stekelenburg a problem with his low shot to the Dutchman’s right, then Sigurdsson had a free kick deflected over.
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Nine minutes into the second half Southampton went 2-0 up as Pelle played in Tadic and the Serbian attacker saw his shot go past Lukasz Fabianski as it deflected off Ki. Soon after it was 3-0 to Southampton as Ryan Bertrand crossed in from the left to Pelle and his effort fell to Mane who slammed home his first goal of the season.
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Late on Southampton were rampant and some good stops from Fabianski denied them from extending their lead further, but the Swans did grab a consolation as Jose Fonte fouled Neil Taylor and Sigurdsson scored the resulting spot kick. It ended 3-1 at St Mary’s as Koeman’s side were worthy of the three points.