Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Southampton's James Ward-Prowse celebrates scoring their second goal with Ryan Bertrand Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
(Reuters) - SOUTHAMPTON 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
Goals from Yan Valery and James Ward-Prowse conjured a spectacular comeback win for Southampton who stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at St Mary's on Saturday after being completely outclassed in the first half.
Both players had scored in the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United last weekend and struck again within five second-half minutes which turned the game and condemned Spurs to a fourth successive Premier League game without a win -- their worst run since 2017.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Southampton's James Ward-Prowse (not pictured) scores their second goal from a free kick past Tottenham's Hugo Lloris REUTERS/David Klein
Yet for much of the match it had looked routine for the visitors who took the lead through Harry Kane on 26 minutes. The striker combined beautifully with the returning Dele Alli for his 200th career goal and seventh in five games against shell-shocked Saints.
Christian Eriksen went close to increasing the lead, fizzing one shot against the bar and having another parried away by keeper Angus Gunn.
But the introduction of Shane Long injected new life into the Saints and although the Irishman lasted just 15 minutes before going off injured, he inspired a revival as Valery scored on 76 minutes with a shot that bounced off the ground.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Harry Kane and Son Heung-min react after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Five minutes later, Ward-Prowse, who had also scored direct from a free kick against Manchester United, produced another set-piece strike, which this time proved crucial.
The 24-year-old, who has now scored six goals in nine league games, struck his shot from just outside the area in the centre of the goal, curling the ball past Spurs' keeper Hugo Lloris as Saints recorded back-to-back home league wins for the first time since December, 2016.
"I spend a lot of time practising the free kicks and thankfully this has contributed to three points today," Ward-Prowse said.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino in the stands with chairman Daniel Levy REUTERS/David Klein
"It is hard to put into words, we were lucky to get in at 1-0 at halftime. We changed a few things at the interval and got our rewards at the end."
Tottenham were fortunate to end the game with 11 men after Kyle Walker-Peters and Moussa Sissoko made challenges that could have resulted in red cards.
Defeat left Spurs hanging on to third place, three points ahead of Manchester United who have a game in hand and play Arsenal on Sunday. Southampton climbed to 16th.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Harry Kane reacts after conceding their second goal scored by Southampton's James Ward-Prowse REUTERS/David Klein
(Reporting by Neil Robinson, editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Southampton's Yan Valery in action with Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Harry Kane scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Harry Kane reacts as Southampton's Maya Yoshida looks on REUTERS/David Klein Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Southampton's Shane Long is substituted off as Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl looks on REUTERS/David Klein Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen down injured as Southampton's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg looks on Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - March 9, 2019 Tottenham's Kyle Walker-Peters in action with Southampton's Ryan Bertrand REUTERS/David Klein
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