Southampton produced a rousing fightback, with two goals in the final 20 minutes earning a draw against Leeds, to take some heat off their manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. Two goals from Rodrigo put Leeds on course for victory but the introduction of Joe Aribo inspired Southampton and his goal, coupled with Kyle Walker-Peters’ tidy finish, lifted the mood of the home fans at St Mary’s.
The 20-year-old German defender Armel Bella-Kotchap was handed his debut for Southampton in one of four changes after their heavy opening defeat at Tottenham.
The hosts were handed an early opportunity, from their most potent attacking outlet, but James Ward-Prowse’s long-range free-kick floated easily into the arms of the Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Rodrigo set up an opening for Patrick Bamford but the Leeds striker’s effort was cut out by Jan Bednarek.
Southampton launched a counterattack and Diego Llorente’s last-ditch tackle prevented Stuart Armstrong bearing down on goal. Llorente was made to sweat even more, in the sweltering heat, but a VAR check for a possible red card was rightly dismissed.
Armstrong was looking lively and the attacker fired in a shot from inside the area but it struck a defender and rebounded off him for a goal kick.
Bella-Kotchap certainly did not look overawed by the occasion and the defender’s marauding run and shot from distance got the home fans on their feet even if he failed to find the target.
Bamford’s latest injury curse struck again before the break with the stricken striker forced off the pitch and replaced by Dan James.
The former Manchester United attacker was handed an immediate chance to score – after being played through by Jack Harrison – but his shot was brilliantly saved by Gavin Bazunu on his home debut for Southampton. Leeds kept the pressure on, from the corner, but Rasmus Kristensen could not get any power on his head which was easily held by Bazunu.
Brenden Aaronson was finding pockets of space to attack and the American summer signing should have done better after blasting his shot over the bar in first-half stoppage time.
Leeds made the perfect start to the second half, with the breakthrough, after Harrison’s cross was turned in with a sharp finish from close range by Rodrigo.
It got even better for the visitors with Rodrigo nodding in his third goal of the season, following a flicked header from Pascal Struijk, to double their lead. The Spanish forward is already halfway towards his total of six goals during the entire last campaign. His goal increased the chuntering among agitated Southampton fans, following their poor end to last season which concluded with four successive defeats.
Hasenhüttl threw on the summer recruit Joe Aribo and Adam Armstrong in a bid to inject some positivity into his team and it had the desired effect. Southampton worked the ball out to the wing and Armstrong set up Aribo, with the former Rangers midfielder rounding Meslier and firing past several Leeds defenders to give the hosts hope.
Aribo’s introduction, aside from his goal, sparked Southampton into life and suddenly Leeds seemed keen to slow the game down.
But Southampton’s momentum was too much for their opponents to handle and the equaliser arrived in the final ten minutes. Sékou Mara, another lively substitute, played an incisive pass through to Walker-Peters and he drilled the ball past Meslier to the delight of the home fans.
Leeds were rattled and Mara stung the fingertips of Meslier as Southampton pushed for an unlikely winner.