The SAINTS thrashed Championship play-off rivals QPR 5-0 to make a statement to the promotion group as they went seven league games unbeaten.
Finland’s Azaz opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes at St Mary’s, before Kuryu Matsuki scored his first and second league goals either side of half-time.
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The creative Leo Scienza added the fourth, and defender James Bree sealed the victory in typical fashion with a great shot from outside the area.
Head coach Tonda Eckert began his Saints coaching reign, initially as caretaker, with a resounding 2-1 win against QPR in early November.
He made three changes from the 1-1 draw with Charlton, as Matsuki, Caspar Jander and Cyle Larin replaced Shea Charles, Tom Fellows and Ross Stewart.
Meanwhile, promising defender Ronnie Edwards started for the visitors following his £4.5million move from St Mary’s to Loftus Road in January.
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But the Saints made it six straight league wins against the R’s, with three points taking them to seventh in the league standings, four points off sixth.
QPR came to St Mary’s as an inconsistent team, with two wins, two draws and two defeats in their last six, but were level on points with the Saints at the start.
It took just nine minutes for the Saints to score, with Azaz striking from distance after a combination of play between Jander, Leo Scienza and Ryan Manning.
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The Irishman’s goal was his ninth of the Championship season, and he could have scored two had it not been for a poor pass on goal from Scienza shortly afterwards.
An already depleted QPR, who had begun to threaten, lost another key player when Kieran Morgan replaced Nicolas Madsen after half an hour.
That ended all their momentum, and Saints continued ahead when Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed towards the post before Jander saw a chance saved.
They got the second goal in added time, when Matsuki went unmarked in the six-yard box to beat goalkeeper Joe Walsh for Scienza’s corner.
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The Japanese could not miss with his header to score his first goal in the championship, adding to his goals in the Carabao Cup and EFL Cup this season.
Matsuki converted the goal into a brace five minutes into the restart, sweeping the rebound of Scienza’s shot across goal and into an open net.
Scienza continued the rout by making it 4-0 in the 59th minute, after a magnificent counterattack from the Saints area to the goal in just a few simple passes.
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Larin held the ball up for Azaz to slide the Brazilian between two defenders, and he stepped in to send a fairly tame effort across the wrist of Joe Walsh.
Azaz’s assist meant he had scored one goal in his last four appearances against QPR, including Scienza’s eventual winning goal at Loftus Road in November.
Eckert saw fit to make a couple of changes, bringing in Stewart and Cam Archer, with a 4-4-2 formation to show QPR no mercy despite their comfortable lead.
And Bree was called into action 10 minutes later, half-volleying the ball into the far corner after it had kindly settled on the edge of the area following her tackle.
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Archer worked diligently to break his duck but was out of luck as Saints comfortably saw out time to win a fifth league match from seven unbeaten.
They now have 50 points from 34 games, four points behind Wrexham, with 12 more games left before play-off places are decided.
saints: Pérez; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Downes (Charles, 81), Jander, Matsuki (Fellows, 75), Azaz (Stewart, 68), Scienza (Edozie, 75); Larin (Archer, 68).
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Unused subs: Largo, Wood, Jelert, Bragg.
Reserved: Jander.
QPR:Walsh; Dunne, Saito, Hayden, Norrington-Davies (Esquerdinha, 60), Vale (Adamson, 60), Kone (Varane, 66), Madsen (Morgan, 30), Kolli (Bennie, ht), Mbengue, Edwards.
Unused subs: Hamer, Clarke-Salter, Smith, Alemayehu.
Reserved: N/A.
Referee : Oliver Langford.
