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Southampton 8 - Sunderland 0 (YES EIGHT NIL)

What happened when an unstoppable object meet a comical back line?

No, that's not a technical error, it was really 8-0. Photo credit
No, that's not a technical error, it was really 8-0. Photo credit
Richard Heathcote

Southampton was ruthless as they obliterated Sunderland 8-0 at St. Mary's. The massive scoreline was aided by some comical defending and errors from The Black Cats, the fact that there was two own goals speak for how poor Sunderland's defense were on this particular day.

Santiago Vergini's own goal set the tone of the match as his finishing was one that most strikers in the world would be envious of.

That own goal opened the floodgates as Southampton scored two more before the halftime whistle was blown. First, Steven Davis set up Graziano Pellè, who tapped the ball in from close range with Sunderland's defender nowhere to be seen. Dušan Tadić then set up Jack Cork who finished with aplomb and despite Vito Mannone's best effort to stop it from going in, the ball had crossed the line.

The second half was more of the same, Southampton was relentless and Sunderland utterly poor and comical. Three minutes past the hour mark, Liam Bridcutt somehow bundled the ball into his own net after Pellè's initial effort was saved.

Pellè then got his brace when he finished Tadić's pass from close range. Mannone then joined in the act, his half-hearted clearance fell to Tadić, who easily curled the ball from 30 yards with Mannone desperately trying to save it but to no avail. Tadić got two more assist in the closing stages of the game. He teed up Victor Wanyama, who smashed it from close range. Sadio Mané was the latest player to be the recipient of Tadić's generosity, to put the cherry on top and complete the 8-0 rout.