Nathan Redmond starred as Southampton reached the semi-finals of the Emirates FA Cup after beating Championship Bournemouth 3-0 at Vitality Stadium.
Redmond set up the first, before scoring twice himself as the Saints made it into the hat for the last four for only the second time in the last seventeen seasons.
Despite the scoreline, the Cherries to their credit never really gave up but ultimately the Premier League side had too much for them to handle.
Team news
Both teams made two changes from their last respective league games, with Rodrigo Riquelme and Ben Pearson starting for the Bournemouth, who were making their first FA Cup quarter-final appearance since 1957.
The Saints, meanwhile, welcomed Redmond and Moussa Djenepo into the starting line up, with Takumi Minamino cup-tied and Nathan Tella dropping to the bench.
VAR denies Saints
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side started well, and had the ball in the net 12 minutes in when Cameron Carter-Vickers turned in Kyle Walker-Peters’ low cross. However, VAR ruled the goal out for offside against the Saints full back who latched onto Jan Bednarek’s smart cross-field ball.
Stuart Armstrong then did well down the right to break past Ben Pearson and he teed up Ryan Bertrand, but his first time effort went wide of the post from the edge of the box.
Arnaut Danjuma produced the hosts’ first real effort on goal after he was afforded time to drive at the Saints defence, but from a tight angle Fraser Forster was equal to his effort at his near post.
Bournemouth had their moments in the first 45 minutes – Riquelme firing a first time effort just past the post, but it was the Premier League side who broke the deadlock after 37 minutes.
Djenepo strikes
Walker-Peters won possession in his own half and released Redmond, who broke forwards into the opposition half before playing a neat ball through to Djenepo who slotted past Asmir Begovic and into the bottom corner.
And things got even better for Southampton in first half stoppage time. Armstrong helped a throw-in into the path of Redmond, who was again allowed space to break forwards and after beating Steve Cook, he fired across Begovic and into the top corner from inside the area.
Bournemouth started on the front foot early in the second half as they looked to get back into the tie. Jack Wilshere linked up with Philip Billing but only to see his fierce strike brush the side netting from the edge of the area, before the Cherries had VAR to thank once again.
Che Adams thumped home from 20 yards out to give the Saints what looked like a third goal, only for VAR to rule that Armstrong was offside in the build up after the ball ricocheted around the edge of the area.
Redmond rounds it off
However, Southampton did make it 3-0 just before the hour mark. James Ward-Prowse won the ball high up the pitch and the Saints worked it across to Armstrong, who saw his shot come back off the post and Redmond was first to react and he calmly fired home the rebound.
Armstrong almost scored himself with 15 minutes to go, with only a fine save from Begovic denying him, whilst at the other end Bournemouth failed to lay down despite the scoreline, with Danjuma finding room in behind but Forster did well to thwart him.
Redmond almost got his hat-trick when Armstrong did brilliantly to bring the ball forwards before finding his team mate on the edge of the box, but he curled his first time effort a whisker wide of the far corner.
Forster was then at his best to preserve his clean sheet, saving well from substitute Sam Surridge’s downward header after a good cross from Jaidon Anthony as the Saints completed an overall comfortable victory to reach the last four of the FA Cup.