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| Maya Yoshida powering his effort into the net to give Southampton the lead |
JAPAN international Maya Yoshida and Saints top scorer Graziano Pelle hit second-half goals to take Ronald Koeman’s side into the quarter-finals against managerless Aston Villa at St Mary’s.
Right-back Yoshida struck the fourth goal of his Saints career, in the 51st minute, before Pelle’s 77th-minute shot helped see off a beleaguered Villa who sacked Tim Sherwood on Sunday after dropping to the bottom of the Premier League.
Despite his stated aim of wanting to win this competition, Koeman made seven changes to the team which earned a point at Anfield on Sunday.
Kevin MacDonald made five for Villa in the first game of his spell as caretaker and his team started the brighter.
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| Graziano Pelle smashing his volley to give Saints a two-goal advantage |
Rudy Gestede provided the muscle and rose above Virgil van Dijk to head tamely at goal in the game’s first chance.
Gaston Ramirez then almost latched onto Pelle’s clever flick to go clean through, but the ball just evaded him.
The best moment of the half came as Leandro Bacuna broke down the right and exchanged passes with Ashley Westwood before firing in a shot which Saints’ Maarten Stekelenburg did well to turn behind.
Gestede headed Westwood’s corner towards the bottom corner but the keeper denied him. Koeman’s half-time input buoyed the Saints and Pelle played a neat one-two with Oriol Romeu before his well-struck shot deflected over.
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| Scott Sinclair scoring Villa's consolation goal from the penalty spot |
But Saints then took the lead from the most unlikely of sources. Yoshida collected Ramirez’s pass before checking inside to fire a 20-yard shot into the bottom right corner.
Just after, a lack of communication between Brad Guzan, Alan Hutton and Jose Crespo in front of him resulted in a calamitous collision between the three. Fortunately for them the danger was averted but angry supporters chanted “we want our Villa back”.
A sloppy Victor Wanyama pass let in Gestede but he hesitated and passed to Westwood, whose low shot was held by Stekelenburg.
Pelle doubled the Saints advantage volleying in from a Dusan Tadic cross.
And a stoppage-time penalty from Scott Sinclair after Van Dijk had brought down Jordan Ayew was of scant consolation for Villa.
SOTON (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg; Yoshida, Caulker, Van Dijk, Targett; Romeu, Wanyama; Ramirez (Davis 68), Ward-Prowse, Juanmi (Tadic 69); Pelle. Goals: Yoshida 51, Pelle 77. NEXT UP: Bournemouth (h), Sun PL.
A VILLA (4-4-2): Guzan; Hutton, Crespo, Clark, Richardson; Bacuna (J Ayew 63), Westwood, Sanchez, Amavi (Grealish 64); Gestede (Sinclair 72), Agbonlahor. Goal: Sinclair 90 pen. NEXT UP: Tottenham (a), Mon PL.
Referee: K Stroud (Hampshire).
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