SAINTS were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against Austrian Bundesliga side SK Klagenfurt in their second pre-season friendly after Adam Armstrong saw a second-half penalty saved.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's side twice struck the woodwork in the first half but Klagenfurt had chances of their own in a game where Saints struggled to truly get going.

Saints very nearly took the lead in just the second minute when Che Adams picked out Will Smallbone’s run in the box but the midfielder’s effort struck the upright. Moments later Ibrahima Diallo shot wide from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Nathan Tella, the 23-year-old playing up front alongside Che Adams.

Tella was next to try his luck shortly before the quarter-hour mark, blazing a volley well over the bar.

As expected, Klagenfurt started on the back foot but the Austrian side showcased the threat they possessed when Sinan Karweina nearly opened the scoring after being played through on the right side of the box but he could only flash his shot across the face of goal.

Karweina went close again moments later after finding space 12 yards from goal but his effort struck the side-netting. Smallbone looked the most likely spark from a Saints point of view and he had another chance when he flicked Thierry Small’s cross wide.

Saints struck the woodwork a second time in the first half when Diallo’s shot hit the underside of the crossbar following a lightning counter-attack started by the midfielder.

Karweina then had his third big chance of the half after beating Jack Stephens in the box but he dragged his effort wide.

Five minutes before the half-time interval, Tella had perhaps Saints' best chance of the first 45 minutes, shooting straight at the Klagenfurt keeper after being played through by Adams.

All ten Saints outfield players were withdrawn at the break and Hasenhuttl’s new-look side nearly struck immediately, Kyle Walker-Peters’ low cross just eluding the run of Moi Elyounoussi. Moussa Djenepo then fired a tame effort straight at Menzel with space inside the box.

Adam Armstrong saw a big opportunity come to nothing when he dithered on the ball eight yards from goal, allowing a Klagenfurt defender to get back and clear.

Armstrong should have given his side the lead with 25 minutes left to play when the referee pointed to the spot for a handball in the Klagenfurt box, but the Saints striker saw his spot-kick saved.

Elyounoussi had a last-gasp chance to give Saints victory but he sliced his volley over the bar.

First Half - Saints: McCarthy; Edwards, Valery, Lyanco, Stephens, Small; Romeu, Diallo, Smallbone; Tella, Adams.

Second Half – Saints: McCarthy; Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Djenepo; Lavia, S Armstrong, Elyounoussi; Aribo, A Armstrong.

Klagenfurt: Menzel; Moreira, Jaritz, Karweina, Cvetko, Straudi, Irving, Wernitznig, Mahrer, Wimmer, Arweiler

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