Plymouth 1-2 Southampton: Che Adams scores stoppage-time winner for Saints

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Plymouth Argyle and Southampton at Home Park as Che Adams scored a stoppage-time winner for the Saints on Saturday afternoon

Saturday 19 August 2023 18:56, UK

Che Adams scored a stoppage-time winner as Southampton claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory at Plymouth.

Adams controlled the ball and volleyed in from close range at the far post after Argyle 'keeper Conor Hazard had palmed out Adam Armstrong's goal-bound header from a corner four minutes into added time.

Everton remain in talks with Southampton over a deal for Adams and have made a £12m bid for the striker.

That winner came after Nathan Tella had put the relegated visitors ahead in the 49th minute, only for Ryan Hardie to pull League One champions Argyle level moments later.

Argyle started well against a Saints side making their first visit along the south coast to Plymouth since 2011.

Finn Azaz, on another season-long loan at Home Park from Aston Villa, was quick to win the ball off Saints defender Jan Bednarek but his shot failed to trouble Gavin Bazunu.

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Che Adams taps in at the back post to grab the winner for Southampton against Plymouth which could be potentially his last goal for the club as rumours suggest he is moving away from the south coast

Southampton responded with a free-kick from Stuart Armstrong in the 11th minute which was easily gathered by Hazard at the other end.

The best chance of the opening half was created by Saints on the counter after Azaz's pass went astray in attack.

Southampton broke quickly through Samuel Edozie down the left and his cross along the edge of the penalty area was helped on by Adams and into the path of Tella, whose shot was turned around the post by Hazard.

Following a goalless first half of limited opportunities, Southampton made a much brighter start to the second period and were rewarded with the opening goal barely four minutes after the restart.

Tella had already gone close with an audacious shot which almost beat Hazard at his near post, the Argyle 'keeper reacting quickly to turn the stinging effort around his post, but there was no denying the Saints forward moments later.

He fired in a superb first-time shot which curled past Northern Ireland 'keeper Hazard, who could not reach the effort despite being at full stretch.

However, Southampton's celebrations were short-lived as Argyle's response was almost immediate, replying in the next meaningful attack.

Morgan Whittaker sped down the right and his teasing ball into the box was brilliantly converted at the near post by Hardie with a deft touch to lift the ball past Bazunu.

The goals sparked the game into life and, on the hour mark, Saints came within the width of the bar from retaking the lead as Stuart Armstrong's dipping strike from the edge of the box beat Hazard but thumped off the top of the woodwork.

Edozie also sent a soaring shot just wide of the diving Hazard and the far post while, in the 86th minute, the Argyle 'keeper made a top-drawer save to acrobatically palm Adam Armstrong's 22-yard free-kick over the bar.

Plymouth also went close themselves late on when Whittaker's angled shot came back off the foot of the post as he jinked into the Saints box, but it was Southampton who would claim the points thanks to Adams.

Martin: I'd love to keep Adams

Southampton manager Russell Martin:

"We've had a bid rejected. You can talk as much as you want after that, it's not my job to talk about it, my job is to work with Che.

"I love him as a player and a person, he's fantastic and will be huge for us if we can keep him. I don't know about the talks being ongoing, I'll talk to [director of football] Jason Wilcox tonight.

"I'd love to keep him. If we don't, we need to replace him. It's that simple."

The managers

Plymouth's Steven Schumacher:

"It was a good standard with some real high quality moments in the game from both teams. We played our part and probably edged the first half. The second half Southampton came into the game a little bit more.

"They had the huge spells of possession that we expected but all of the time I thought we were always in the game and to lose it like that right at the end of the game is a bit gutting, a bit of a sucker-punch but that's football, it can be cruel sometimes.

Southampton's Russell Martin:

"The late goal is no coincidence, the amount of work we put into the opposition for games. The last half an hour, we were really impressive, really dominant. I really wasn't happy with the first half; I told the players that at half-time and I think they feel the same way.

"We have to be really demanding, I said to them we will have a lot of good moments but there will be tough moments."