PRESTON, England (Interstat) — Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored in the 12th minute and Ross Stewart added a goal in the 47th as Southampton opened its Championship season with a 3-1 victory over Preston North End on Saturday at Deepdale Stadium.

Lewis Dobbin scored in the 60th minute for Southampton, which now holds a 1-0 record in league play and across all competitions. Cyle Larin found the net for Preston North End in first-half stoppage time, but the home side fell to 0-1 in the Championship and overall.

Southampton controlled the early tempo after a quiet opening 10 minutes. The breakthrough came when Harwood-Bellis, a substitute, collected a pass and slotted home to put the visitors ahead. The goal came two minutes after Preston’s Jordan Storey received a yellow card for a challenge in the 10th minute.

Preston nearly equalized before halftime but Southampton doubled its lead early in the second half. Stewart, also a substitute, capitalized on a defensive misstep to fire past the Preston goalkeeper in the 47th minute.

The momentum stayed with Southampton. Dobbin, a forward, made it 3-0 in the 60th minute with a composed finish after a buildup that stretched Preston’s back line.

Preston earned a lifeline in first-half stoppage time when Larin, coming off the bench, scored in the first minute of added time. The goal came from an assist by Andrija Vukčević, a defender who later received a yellow card in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

The match featured four yellow cards in total. Andrew Moran, a defender, was booked in the 34th minute. Finn Azaz, a substitute, received a caution in the 81st minute.

Southampton’s defense held firm for the remainder of the second half, limiting Preston to few clear chances after Larin’s goal. The visitors’ back line, anchored by Vukčević, absorbed pressure and allowed the midfield to dictate play.

Preston will look to rebound in its next league fixture, while Southampton aims to build on its winning start.

The game’s statistics highlighted the contributions from Southampton’s substitutes. Harwood-Bellis and Stewart each scored after entering the match, while Azaz provided an assist from the bench. Moran also recorded an assist for Southampton’s first goal.

For Preston, Storey’s yellow card was his only notable contribution from the midfield, while Larin’s late goal offered a glimmer of hope but not enough to spark a comeback.

The Championship season continues next week with both teams scheduled to play midweek matches.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Preston North End 1, Southampton 1, while Interstat’s ELO system gave Southampton a 74.70 percent probability of winning the match.