Auxerre's possession ran high while their chances ran low

Auxerre had the ball at home and the most corners, but their chances against Le Mans were worth less than they usually are, and the Ligue 1 draw ended 1-1.

Auxerre had 60% of the ball at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, a share well above the 46.9% they average in home matches this season. Le Mans still led for eight minutes after the restart. Lucas Buades put them in front in the 48th minute, with Lucas Bretelle providing the pass, and the video assistant referee checked the goal and confirmed it.

Expected goals, a measure of how likely each shot was to go in, puts Auxerre's chances at 0.82 for the match. Their usual figure at home is 1.44, so the quality of what they created fell well short of the norm. Volume was not the problem: their 12 shots came close to the 11.1 they average, and seven of them were taken from inside the box. Their chances were just poorer than usual.

Le Mans had 40% of the ball, a little below the 44.7% they average away from home. They took 11 shots, more than their away average of 9.7, but only two of them were on target, and their expected goals of 1.19 sat under the 1.52 they usually generate on the road. Bretelle was the most active figure in the visitors' side, with 11 duels won, seven tackles and three key passes, and he was rated 7.7 for it.

Cameron Archer equalised in the 56th minute, and he was the most influential figure for Auxerre. He took two shots, one of them on target, and was rated 7.8, the highest mark on either side. Auxerre's earlier pressure had produced only one goal by then, so the equaliser came from a player rather than from the wider pattern of the match.

Neither side lost a player to a red card, but both picked up cautions. Le Mans received two yellow cards, the first in the 21st minute and the second in the 26th, while Auxerre were booked twice as well, in the 44th and 69th minutes. Both goalkeepers were kept busy enough to matter: the Le Mans goalkeeper made four saves, while the Auxerre goalkeeper made one.

Auxerre conceded once, against the 2.4 they usually concede at home, and Le Mans conceded once as well, against the 2.1 they average away. Neither side kept a clean sheet, but neither allowed more than their usual share of chances to reach the net. The result left both sides in the same position they occupied before kickoff, with the single goal given to each.

Auxerre are 13th in the table with nine points from seven matches, and Le Mans are 16th with six points from seven. Le Mans have won one of their away matches this season, drawn three and lost three, with 10 goals scored and 15 conceded on the road.

Player of the matchC. Archer1 goal7.8

L. Bretelle1 assist7.7

L. Buadés1 goal7.3

J. Vercruysse1 chance created7.0