Lorient had the better chances at Angers, and Mvogo kept them out

A goalless draw in which Lorient created the more dangerous openings, and Lorient's goalkeeper Y. Mvogo was the reason they did not lose.

Lorient had the better of the chances at Angers, but the scoreboard stayed blank, and the reason sits largely with Y. Mvogo. The Lorient goalkeeper was rated 8.1, the highest mark on either side's list, and the match statistics show why: the openings Angers created were few, and the ones Lorient managed were kept out.

Expected goals, usually shortened to xG, adds up how good each chance was, judging it by where and how the shot was taken. Lorient were rated at 0.57 and Angers at 0.34, so Lorient's openings were the more dangerous. Lorient also had eight shots from inside the box against four for Angers, and shots from that area are where most goals come from.

For Angers, the picture is poor measured against their own usual pattern. At home this season they average 12.1 shots a match, and here they managed seven. Their usual chance quality sits at 1.62 xG, so 0.34 was far below it, even though more than half of those seven shots were on target.

The ball was not the problem. Angers had 49%, close to their home average of 48.7%, and Lorient had 51%, above their away average of 45.4%. Possession only tells you who had the ball, not what they did with it, and Lorient's extra share did not turn into a bigger shot count, as they took 10 shots against an away average of 9.1.

Lorient's chances were also below their own standard. Their xG came in under their away average of 1.02, so the openings they made were not up to their usual level either. Counted the same way, the chances Angers created fell well short of the 0.77 that Lorient normally allow away, which is the defensive side of the same story. Mvogo and the back line did what was asked of them. S. Touré took three shots for Lorient, with one on target, and his rating of 7.0 reflects a busy but unrewarded night.

Across the league's 66 matches, a side averages 12.7 shots, so both teams were light: Angers with seven and Lorient with ten. The league averages three goals a match, and this game had none. Two yellow cards were shown, to Yassine Belkdim of Angers on 33 minutes and Nathaniel Adjei of Lorient on 85, and no one was sent off.

Angers are 15th after seven matches with seven points, having scored nine and conceded 15, and this draw lifts them to eight. Lorient are eighth with 11 points from seven, and the point takes them to 12. They have won three and drawn two of their away games this season, and they go into their next match with a clean sheet to their name.

Player of the matchY. Mvogo5 saves8.1

J. Kalulu3 chances created7.2

A. Avom3 chances created7.2

K. Kouassi4 chances created7.2