Preston North End1-0Southampton

Preston North End 1-0 Southampton

Saints left Deepdale with 77.8 percent possession, 23 shots and no points as Preston earned their second Championship win of the season. Jordan Thompson scored the only goal after 33 minutes, while Lee Nicholls stopped all eight Southampton shots on target. Possession proved a rather poor souvenir.

Preston made the stronger start, with Andrew Moran and Alfie Devine among those whose early shots met blocks. The hosts also appealed for a penalty after a challenge by Léo Scienza, but no penalty came. Saints lost Keven Schlotterbeck to a shoulder injury, and Zach Abbott replaced him after 11 minutes. Daniel Peretz then denied Devine with his foot after Jack Stephens lost possession.

Preston’s pressure brought the breakthrough. After a Moran shot met a block, James Ward-Prowse’s header dropped to Thompson outside the box. His left-footed volley found the bottom right corner. Finn Azaz almost supplied an immediate response, but his shot went past the post.

A disputed decision added to Saints’ frustration before halftime. Liam Lindsay received a yellow card after he held Lewis Dobbin, then escaped a second yellow for another hold on the same player. Referee Tom Nield instead returned to an earlier foul and booked Andrew Hughes. Saints had grounds for frustration, but the decision left Preston with eleven players. Nicholls twice denied Scienza in added time to preserve the lead.

Thierry Small missed from inside the six-yard box shortly after the restart, before Saints created more chances. Azaz supplied Scienza for saves in the 55th and 59th minutes. Welington then struck from distance, and Nicholls saved near the top right corner. The goalkeeper also denied Azaz’s deflected effort after Dobbin supplied the pass.

Samuel Edozie and Ryan Manning entered before Divin Mubama replaced Dobbin for the final ten minutes. Mubama soon met a Ward-Prowse cross from near the goal, but Nicholls saved again. Saints finished with nine corners and eight shots on target, without an equalizer. Abbott’s effort in the sixth minute of added time met the same goalkeeper and the same outcome.