Southampton remains winless after six matches, sitting at the bottom of the table with just one point, tied with Wolverhampton. This marks the worst start to a league campaign for the newly promoted team since 1998.
Evanilson, the Brazilian striker, netted his first goal for Bournemouth, while Antoine Semenyo excelled by scoring one goal and assisting another, as Bournemouth scored all three of their goals in a dominant first half.
“It’s a goal we’ve been anticipating from Evanilson,” said Bournemouth assistant coach Tommy Elphick. “He possesses great intelligence and makes clever runs. We haven’t been utilizing him enough, so I’m delighted for him.
“The first half showcased what we have been capable of in patches. It was electric.”
With this win, Bournemouth climbed to 11th place in the standings.
The home team started strong, taking the lead in the 17th minute. Marcus Tavernier orchestrated the play, executing a quick free kick that caught the Southampton defense off guard. Evanilson capitalized, flicking the ball past the goalkeeper.
Semenyo, a former Bristol City winger, consistently posed a threat on the right flank. In the 32nd minute, his cutback found Lewis Cook, whose shot was deflected in by Dango Ouattara.
Just five minutes later, the Ghanaian international added to the scoreline with impressive footwork, firing a low angled shot into the far corner.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis managed to pull one back for Southampton early in the second half, but it did not ignite a comeback. Although the home side had more possession in the latter half, they rarely threatened Bournemouth's goal.
“I didn’t recognize our team,” remarked Southampton manager Russell Martin. “There was a lack of aggression and courage. They seemed to be in self-preservation mode on the pitch. I didn’t like it at all. They showed some fight in the second half, but it was too late.”