Watford beat Southampton 2-1 in the Championship, taking a two-goal lead inside the opening half-hour and then holding on. Iker Bravo struck first on 12 minutes and Amin Nabizada doubled the lead just before the interval, giving the hosts a firm grip on the game.
Southampton pulled one back after the break when Cyle Larin scored from Cameron Bragg's assist on 56 minutes, setting up a tense final half-hour. Watford, despite seeing far less of the ball, defended their lead as Southampton pushed for an equaliser.
Southampton dominated possession with 66% and shaded the shot count 17-16, while their expected-goals figure of 1.65 dwarfed Watford's 0.83. But Watford were more clinical in front of goal, putting four shots on target to Southampton's three, and the early goals proved the difference in a match they won without controlling the play.
