Amin Nabizada’s solo stunner edges Watford past Southampton

Southampton will have to get used to being barracked as they travel the Championship this autumn, the Spygate team are set to be everyone’s favourite boo-boys in the second tier. Certainly that was the case in Hertfordshire, with Watford fans and players alike beside themselves after a hard-fought victory, decided by two memorable first-half goals.

Watford paid tribute to Kenny Jackett before the match, the one-club legend and local boy hailed with two minutes of applause. As everyone clapped, the cameras remained stubbornly focussed on Tonda Eckert in the dugout. The Southampton manager has the potential to become a pantomime villain as this season unspools. Remaining under investigation by the FA for his part in the Spygate affair, and with the prospect of a potentially heavy sanction to follow, Eckert’s fate has cast uncertainty over his side’s prospects this season and given opponents added motivation.

Southampton fans praised the manager and cursed the EFL. Watford’s support, for their part, turned their attention to the match once the whistle had been blown and lustily informed the visitors that they were cheats.

Southampton were showcasing a remodelled attacking lineup with Lewis Dobbin, signed from Aston Villa after successful Championship loans, providing a direct threat down the left and Kuryu Matsuki preferred to Tom Fellows on the right. There were initial signs of an understanding between Dobbin and Canada World Cup star Cyle Larin too, before Watford bulldozed their way to an early lead.

Alessio Dionisi has become Watford’s 12th full-time manager in five years, and he was joined for his Vicarage Road debut by a number of new signings, largely from a familiar source. The Spain under-21 midfielder Iker Bravo was one of several signings to join from “sister” club Udinese this summer, and he made an instant quick with a quite stunning solo goal in the 12th minute.

Watford’s Amin Nabizada jumps for joy after scoring the winner against Southampton. Photograph: Peter Tarry/PA

To score, Bravo had to deploy a combination of skills. Looking to latch on to a long ball from the corner of the Watford box, the 6ft playmaker won the first header then, crucially, got a second touch with an outstretched toe to get the ball under control. He then span and began to drive at goal, entering the box before chopping right and getting off a low shot that Daniel Peretz got a hand to, but could not keep out.

The energy in the stands grew immediately and the home side went on to dominate the first half. They doubled their lead in the 29th minute and it was another one to remember, this time for 19-year-old academy graduate Amin Nabizada, who exploited the same gaps on the left of the Southampton defence to run with the ball from his own half before finishing well from a tight angle.

There was no immediate turn around from the visitors following the half-time break. The first 10 minutes of the second half were subdued and slow. But Southampton eventually took advantage of the drop in tempo to move the ball beyond the Watford backline and get back into the game in the 56th minute. With Matsuki pulling out wide, young Southampton midfielder Cameron Bragg moved unmarked into the right hand side of the box. Receiving the ball and shifting it left as a defender bore down on him, Bragg found Larin, who poked home from 10 yards out.

Larin had a chance to equalise two minutes later with a shot on the turn after Watford failed to clear their lines, but goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia – another new signing – turned the ball round a post. When Finn Azaz came on for Dobbin he bought an inch to fire off a low drive that just went beyond the left hand post. Southampton’s fans were singing “we’ll score when we want” as a succession of dangerous set pieces were sent over by Ryan Manning.

But as the game passed through a flurry of substitutions Eckert’s side were unable to generate enough momentum to unsettle Watford and their only late chance was scuffed wide by Taylor Harwood-Bellis. Opening matches rarely offer much insight into how a season will pan out. But Watford fans were able to enjoy both temperate weather and a decent performance. If Southampton are to turn the negative energy of Spygate into something positive they will have to start again next week.