Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez celebrates scoring against Bournemouth during the English Premier League soccer match at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, England, Sunday Dec. 18, 2016. (Photo by JOHN WALTON/PA via AP)
BOURNEMOUTH, England — Jay Rodriguez scored two second-half goals to cap Southampton’s comeback in a 3-1 win over south-coast rival Bournemouth in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Rodriguez tapped home Steven Davis’ cross to put Southampton 2-1 ahead in the 48th and sent a dipping shot into the top corner in the 85th, tripling his goal tally in the league this season.
The striker had just forced his way into England’s squad when he sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury in April 2014 that ruled him out for more than a year. He had a poor 2015-16 campaign as he recovered from the injury, and had been below Charlie Austin in Southampton’s pecking order of strikers before Austin hurt his shoulder this month.
With Austin potentially out for up to four months, Rodriguez might have a prolonged run in Claude Puel’s team.
Nathan Ake’s far-post header put Bournemouth in front in the sixth minute with his third goal in the last six games, before Southampton equalized in the 14th when Ryan Bertrand dribbled past two defenders and fired a low shot inside the far post.
Southampton climbed to seventh place.