Watford defeat Southampton 2-1 in Championship season opener

Watford secured a 2-1 victory over Southampton at Vicarage Road to open their 2026-27 Championship season. Goals from Iker Bravo in the 12th minute and Amin Nabizada in the 29th minute provided the winning margin for the home side under manager Alessio Dionisi.

Southampton managed a goal through Cyle Larin in the 56th minute but could not find an equalizer. The defeat leaves Southampton at the bottom of the table with a -4 point deduction resulting from a spying scandal involving Oxford United and Ipswich during the previous season.

The match was characterized by high aggression and several bookings, including Watford’s Hector Kyprianou and Mattie Pollock, and Southampton’s Cyle Larin and James Bree.