Bournemouth took a significant step towards Premier League survival with a precious 1-0 win which pushed south-coast rivals Southampton closer to relegation.
Marcus Tavernier claimed the Cherries’ second-half winner at a soggy St Mary’s to move the Cherries seven points clear of the drop zone and pile further pressure on the division’s bottom club.
Beleaguered Saints thought they had snatched a dramatic 89th-minute equaliser but Che Adams’ effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
The hosts lacked attacking thrust and urgency for much of a miserable evening as they slipped to a club-record 11th home league defeat of the season following a largely-feeble display.
Ruben Selles’ side, who lost captain James Ward-Prowse to illness at half-time, go into their final five games of a dismal campaign six points from safety and with lingering hopes of survival fading fast.
A painful defeat to their near neighbours stretched Saints’ alarming winless run to eight games to eradicate any positivity generated by Friday’s thrilling 3-3 draw at leaders Arsenal.
Southampton forward Adam Armstrong struck a post early on but, aside from Adams’ disallowed finish, the troubled hosts offered little after falling behind to the 50th-minute goal from Tavernier, who later limped off injured.
Bournemouth made the 30-mile journey east seeking a third-successive away win to increase their cushion on the drop zone and with the prospect of being the region’s top club next term.
Cherries fans wasted little time in taunting their struggling rivals as chants of ‘Oh when the Saints go Championship’ frequently rang around the stadium.
The precariously-placed home team did their best to quell the constant crowing in the early exchanges.
Theo Walcott tested Neto with a low effort early on before Armstrong was kept out by a combination of Bournemouth’s Brazilian goalkeeper and the left post.
Bournemouth’s boisterous away end then thought their side had edged ahead when Cherries left-back Matias Vina thumped home on the rebound in the 18th minute.
But jubilant celebrations in the stands were swiftly cut short due to Dominic Solanke being offside before his initial effort was repelled by recalled Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
Southampton’s 1-0 win at the Vitality Stadium on October 19 was the club’s final victory under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Saints began the evening having picked up just 13 points from a possible 63 under three different managers in the sixth months since.
They were almost given a helping hand in their quest to enhance that paltry tally when Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi inadvertently diverted the ball on to the top of his own crossbar following a cross from Kyle Walker-Peters.
Yet the hosts were short of incisiveness in a forgettable first half which ended without major incident and with some jeers from frustrated home supporters.
The pessimistic mood on the terraces was not helped by influential leader Ward-Prowse, who had reportedly been feeling unwell before the game, failing to reappear for the second period.
That bitter pill was quickly compounded by Bournemouth taking the lead with their first attempt on target.
Solanke, who lashed the ball narrowly over in the first half, claimed the assist, releasing Tavernier to cut in from the right and direct a low, deflected effort into the bottom-left corner beyond McCarthy.
Saints defender Jan Bednarek then escaped handball appeals when he blocked Ryan Christie’s cross as the visitors pushed for a second amid upbeat cries of “the Reds are staying up” from their vocal following.
Saints boss Selles threw on Adams for his first appearance in more than a month – due to injury – with 61 minutes played.
That change looked to have paid dividends when the Scotland international swivelled to fire home via the underside of the crossbar a minute from time.
But the effort was subsequently chalked off following intervention from Stockley Park, leaving Bournemouth to celebrate a big victory which exacerbates Southampton’s perilous position
Moca FC's Baez, Correa sanctioned by Concacaf Disciplinary Committee for violent conduct in Carib Cup semis clash against Cavalier
The Concacaf Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned players Miguel Baez and Jesus Correa of Dominican Republic club Moca FC for incidents that occurred during their Concacaf Caribbean Cup second-leg semi-final match against Jamaica’s Cavalier FC on Thursday, October 30.
After considering the documentation and evidence gathered during its investigation and based on the competition regulations and the applicable disciplinary code, the Disciplinary Committee has imposed Miguel Baez a six-match suspension and Jesus Correa a three-match suspension for violent conduct.
The sanctions include the automatic one-match suspension for the on-field direct red cards given to each player during that 7-0 beating in Kingston.
Both Baez and Correa must serve their suspensions during the upcoming 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place matches and future editions of the competition.
Moca FC is scheduled to meet Haiti's Real Hope FC in that home-and-away tie on November 26 and December 3 to determine the next Caribbean representative that will contest next year's Concacaf Champions Cup. Finalists Cavalier and Cibao FC, also of the Dominican Republic, have secured automatic berths.
Meanwhile, the Disciplinary Committee has also warned the players and the club that more severe sanctions could be taken should incidents occur during future matches.
Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.
They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.
Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.
"To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.
"Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.
"Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."
Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.
Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.
"I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.
"The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.
"And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez
Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.
Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.
New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.
No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN
This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.
The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.
NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).
The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York City FC – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
New York Red Bulls – 27%
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
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