With his winner in the 79th minute, Adam Armstrong cemented Southampton’s status as the Championship’s late kings, handily defeating promotion rivals 2-1. West Brom
Darnell Furlong’s crossbar nearly gave West Brom a lead, but Kyle Bartley tied the score after Will Smallbone had put the Saints ahead early on.
However, Armstrong calmly poked in his ninth goal of the year to give the Saints the league-high eighth goal they have scored in the final fifteen minutes of games.
It extended Southampton’s unbeaten run to eight matches while halting West Brom’s three-game winning streak.
The Saints took the lead early on, just as they had in the seven prior games.
Stuart Armstrong cut back to Adam Armstrong from the byline in the fifth minute. His attempt was blocked, but Smallbone was there to slam home the rebound at close range.
Although West Brom had not conceded a goal in a game since September, Conor Townsend believed he had cleared off the line, according to goal-line technology.
Up until the 28th minute, the hosts controlled the game and never put Alex Palmer’s goal to the test again.
After being released down the right, Kyle Walker-Peters stepped over to sidestep his defender and then passed to Smallbone through Kamaldeen Sulemana. However, his shot was taken with too much elevation and went over the crossbar.
In the final ten minutes of the first half, the Baggies rallied, established a strong press, and threatened an equalizer.
Even though Nathaniel Chalobah made a mistake when recording his team’s opening shot, he still conveyed his intention.
Brandon Thomas-Asante’s shot was scuffed but was destined for the bottom corner had it not been for Taylor Harwood-Bellis throwing himself at the ball to head behind.
Mason Holgate had returned to the starting eleven in place of the suspended Jan Bednarek. The former West Brom loanee had a few nervy moments in the first half but grew into the game with a vital block to deny Thomas-Asante.
Despite this, the Baggies continued to press without producing much, and in the sixty-third minute, Matt Phillips displayed his honesty by jinxing off his flank before his curling shot narrowly missed.
Adam Armstrong calmly pulled Ryan Fraser’s cred Wallace’s cross was headoss down at the back post and slotted in his ninth goal of the campaign. It was the only on-target shot for the Saints during the second half.
Gavin Bazunu produced a stunning stoppage-time save to deny Jayson Molumby and hold on to the three points.
