SAINTS got their pre-season under way with a 2-0 defeat to Portuguese champions Benfica at St George’s Park on Wednesday. 

David Neres and Mihailo Ristic scores the goals for the Champions League outfit as Russell Martin got a first look at his side.

The manager started with two almost completely different XIs in each half at the home of English football. 

Alex McCarthy, James Bree, Lyanco, Jack Stephens, Jayden Meghoma, James Ward-Prowse, Charly Alcaraz, Kami Doyle, Sam Amo-Ameyaw, Tyler Dibling and Sekou Mara started the first.

Only 16 year old Amo-Ameyaw also started the second period as Alex McCarthy, Tino Livramento, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Mohammed Salisu, Kyle Walker-Peters, Romeo Lavia, Will Smallbone, Adam Armstrong, Moussa Djenepo and Che Adams came in.

McCarthy was beaten at his near post for the first goal after an exciting passage of play that saw Benfica hit the woodwork and Saints stage a fast counterattack inside 10 minutes, only for the Portuguese to benefit from a break of their own.

McCarthy did make two good stops to deny the opposition but came unstuck again as Bree backed off and allowed a shot in the last minute of the first half.

There was a clear tendency to pass out from the back and this was consistently applied throughout, leading to some naturally nervous moments.

The academy youngsters such as Amo-Ameyaw and Meghoma, signed from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, as well as Doyle and Dibling were among those who looked brightest.

Bazunu made a stunning save late in the game after Portuguese international Joao Mario squared for a teammate inside the area with the goal at his mercy, but for a strong diving right hand from the Republic of Ireland international.

Saints face Sport Republic’s Goztepe up next on Saturday, July 15, as they fly out to Izmir in Turkey for their pre-season trip.