ZCZC
BSP-04
FBL-ENG-PR-SOUTHAMPTON-WESTHAM
Anderson double sees Hammers come back to sink Saints
SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom, Dec 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Felipe Anderson
scored twice as West Ham came from a goal behind to win 2-1 away to
Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday.
After a lacklustre first half at St Mary’s, all three goals came in a nine-
minute spell early in the second half, with Nathan Redmond firing the Saints
ahead before Brazilian star Anderson’s double put West Ham on top.
Victory saw the Hammers climb into ninth place in the table while
Southampton, denied a third straight win under new boss Ralph Hasenhuttl,
remained in 16th spot just three points above the relegation zone.
West Ham named just six substitutes at St Mary’s, with manager Manuel
Pellegrini’s injury-hit side, captained by Aaron Cresswell, showing five
changes from the team that lost 2-0 to Watford on Saturday.
By contrast, Hasenhuttl made only one change from the team that beat
Huddersfield 3-1 last weekend, with Mario Lemina replacing the suspended
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Clear chances were few and far between in a mediocre opening 45 minutes.
Southampton’s Danny Ings, on his 200th club appearance, toe-poked the ball
narrowly wide of the near post after weaving his way past two defenders in
the third minute.
At the other end, Lucas Perez squandered West Ham’s best chance of the half
when he shot wide following good work by Cresswell on the left.
Shortly before half-time, West Ham’s Robert Snodgrass curled a shot from
the edge of the box well wide of Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy’s right
post.
– Scrappy opener sparks goal spree –
But the Saints finally broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half
with a scrappy goal.
West Ham, playing for an offside flag that never came, left Redmond in
yards of space inside the box.
The Southampton forward’s shot was blocked by Hammers keeper Lukasz
Fabianski. Oriel Romeu then tried to chip the ball over Fabianski before
Redmond, sliding in face first, forced the ball in under pressure from the
scrambling Angelo Ogbonna.
But three minutes later, West Ham equalised when Anderson shot through a
crowd of players to beat McCarthy with a powerful effort.
And from 1-0 down, West Ham were 2-1 up in the 59th minute when Anderson
scored his second of the game and seventh in nine games this season.
Stuart Armstrong had a shot blocked on the edge of the Hammers’ area and
from there the visitors launched a counter-attack, with Michail Antonio
playing an excellent crossfield ball to Anderson whose strong shot across the
face of goal had too much on it for McCarthy as the keeper dived to his
right.
West Ham appealed for a penalty after Snodgrass went down in the box under
challenge from Jannik Vestergaard but referee Craig Pawson was unmoved.
Deep into stoppage time, Anderson had a shot saved on the counter-attack as
Saints pressed for an equaliser but his two goals were enough to give the
Hammers a valuable three points.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0843 hrs