James Bree scored a spectacular goal as Southampton survived a late West Ham fightback to claim a 3-2 victory at the London Stadium.
Kuryu Matsuki put Saints ahead after just two minutes before Bree doubled their advantage with a superb finish from a tight angle.
Kyle Walker-Peters pulled a goal back for the hosts, but Lewis Dobbin restored Southampton’s two-goal cushion before half-time.
Substitute Tomas Soucek struck in stoppage time to set up a tense finish, although the visitors held on.
The win lifted Tonda Eckert’s side to sixth in the Championship, two points behind third-placed West Ham, who remain one point outside the automatic promotion places.
Southampton’s aggressive start brought an immediate reward.
Leo Scienza drove into the penalty area and forced Mads Hermansen into a save, with Matsuki collecting the rebound and placing his finish into the bottom corner.
By the 11th minute, Saints had doubled their lead.
Hermansen pushed Caspar Jander’s cross across the penalty area towards Bree, who let the ball bounce before smashing a remarkable effort into the top corner.
West Ham responded in the 24th minute through Walker-Peters.
The defender created space with some clever footwork and curled an excellent finish into the top-left corner.
However, Southampton soon struck again. Scienza was denied from close range, but Dobbin reacted quickest to turn the loose ball home.
Taty Castellanos wasted a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit before the interval, firing wide after Daniel Peretz spilled the ball.
Dobbin almost added a fourth for Southampton after the break, striking the outside of the right-hand post following a well-weighted pass from Finn Azaz.
West Ham also hit the woodwork when Max Kilman unleashed a powerful effort from the edge of the area.
The ball rebounded off the frame of the goal, struck the diving Peretz and went behind for a corner.
Soucek eventually found the bottom-right corner in stoppage time, but Southampton resisted the hosts’ late pressure to secure the points.
Boos greeted the final whistle from the home supporters.
Saints’ Early Intent Pays Off
Southampton took control from the outset, dominating possession and unsettling West Ham with their attacking intensity.
Their early two-goal advantage gave them a platform to withstand a much tougher second half, when Peretz made several important saves.
The goalkeeper denied a fierce Konstantinos Mavropanos strike and showed bravery to keep out a glancing Castellanos header as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side pushed for a way back.
The result was particularly encouraging for Saints given the absence of midfielder Flynn Downes and leading scorer Cyle Larin.
Despite beginning the campaign with a four-point deduction, Southampton are firmly in the promotion race. Without that penalty, they would now sit second.
Eckert Praises Collective Effort
Eckert credited Southampton’s strong opening and determined defending for an impressive away victory.
The Saints boss acknowledged that his team came under sustained pressure after the interval, highlighting Peretz’s contribution alongside the work of those in front of him.
He also explained that operating with a small squad brings challenges when injuries strike, while giving other players opportunities to contribute.
With Downes and Larin unavailable, Eckert was encouraged by the response of their replacements and stressed that contributions throughout the squad would be essential to Southampton’s ambitions this season.
