Southampton 2-2 Leeds United
To the amazement of this SBOTOP reporter, there is supposedly pressure on Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
How that is the case after what the Austrian has achieved in the last three and a half years is beyond me.
So perhaps this fine comeback will remind people of the good job he is doing on the south coast.
Furthermore, if all Premier League second halves can be as exciting as this, it could be a season to remember.
Highlights of the game
It’s easy to forget that when it comes to recruitment, Southampton have a fine track record.
Over the last decade, since their return to the top flight, the Saints have become renowned for brilliance in both producing talented players from their academy, as well as their shrewd moves in the transfer market.
A look at this team made up of former players proves the point, but how long can they carry on with that policy of constantly selling their best performers?
Last weekend’s fairly dismal surrender to Tottenham highlighted familiar defensive frailties but little visible evidence that a summer overhaul of Hasenhuttl’s backroom team has invigorated a set of players who sleep-walked their way through the final quarter of last season.
With three games to go in that campaign, Hasenhuttl bemoaned his side’s lack of “energy and sometimes belief”, but many fans who convened at St Mary’s will have expected more.
Hasenhuttl made four changes with Mohamed Elyounoussi, Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams all recalled and 20 year-old German defender Armel Bella-Kotchap handed a debut.
After getting up and running with a winning start at home to Wolves last weekend, there was little surprise with to see an unchanged Leeds line-up as they looked to repeat the trick and secure back-to-back wins in their first two Premier League games for the first time since 2002.
In a game full of Premier League highlights, Leeds had the better of the early exchanges and Patrick Bamford, who had scored in his last three top-flight appearances against Southampton, threatened after 12 minutes with a shot which was blocked.
The England hopeful, one short of 100 career league goals, then fired narrowly past the post five minutes later after more good work from Rodrigo.
Since getting injured 12 months ago, Bamford has had nothing but misfortune and that continued just before the half hour when he was forced to leave the fray.
Bamford, whose first ever top-flight goal also came against Saints for Middlesbrough in May 2017, was replaced by Dan James and, in between all that, debutant Kotchap strode forward before firing a dipping shot just wide.
James almost made an instant impact and his goal-bound effort was tipped away by Gavin Bazunu before the home custodian kept out a Rasmus Kristensen header as half-time approached.
Leeds had the edge and that was rewarded within a minute of the restart as Rodrigo flicked in a low cross from Jack Harrison.
That made it two in two for the Spaniard and it was soon three in two as he nodded in from close range after Pascal Struijk flicked on from a corner.
Is the club record signing finally starting to consistently show more glimpses of his talent?
At this point the Premier League betting odds were in favour of the visitors and, with home capacity temporarily reduced in a bid to prevent anti-social behaviour, the Saints could have had a sinking feeling.
Not with Hasenhuttl though.
With just under half an hour remaining, he brought on Joe Aribo and Adam Armstrong and within 10 minutes they had combined with Aribo converting at the second attempt.
Then with nine minutes left, the home fans were in raptures as another sub, Sekou Mara, produced a fine cross and there was Kyle Walker-Peters to level the scores.
Illan Meslier prevented Mara from grabbing a winner late on, while Leeds also had a chance to snatch it when Bazunu palmed away a Rodrigo effort.
However, it stayed 2-2 and Hasenhuttl’s changes had proved their worth.
Key statistics
Southampton have now scored 100 league goals in this fixture.
They have also won four of their past six home league matches against Leeds, with those successes coming across the top three divisions.
The Saints have failed to win either of their opening two Premier League matches in eight of the past nine seasons.
Leeds have won both of their opening two league fixtures only once in the past 13 seasons – 2018-19 in the Championship – and have not done so in the Premier League since 2002-03.
What’s next?
Southampton now face two away games, at Leicester City, and at Cambridge in the League Cup, before hosting Manchester United two weeks today (August 27).
Leeds, meanwhile, entertain Chelsea in the top flight and fellow Yorkshire club Barnsley in the League Cup and then return to the south coast to meet Brighton (also, August 27).
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