Universitatea Craiova won with a third of the ball

Universitatea Craiova beat Inter Club d'Escaldes 3-1 in the Europa Conference League, despite the hosts having most of the ball.

Universitatea Craiova were two goals up inside five minutes at Inter Club d'Escaldes, through Assad Al-Hamlawi and Ștefan Baiaram, and the hosts never caught up. That early start shapes how the rest of the night should be read. Borja Arellano pulled one back in the 77th minute, but Simon Elisor's goal in the 86th settled it for the visitors.

Inter Club d'Escaldes had most of the ball, 64% of it, far above the 47.5% they average at home this season. They completed 540 passes, and 89% of them found their target. Having the ball is not the same as having the better chances, and here the gap between the two was wide.

Their attack did not turn that possession into much. Inter had seven shots, fewer than the eight they usually take at home, and their expected goals (a rough measure of chance quality, based on where and how each shot was taken) came to 0.51. That is close to their usual 0.45, so the shots they did take were ordinary in quality.

The visitors had only 36% of the ball, yet they took 14 shots against a league average of 12.4 per side. Their expected goals of 1.53 also sat above the league average of 1.32, so the chances they created were better than typical. Scoring three from that means the finishing was sharper than the chances alone would have suggested.

Ștefan Baiaram was the strongest name on either side, rated 8 and scoring the second goal in the fifth minute. Javier Díaz made four saves for the hosts, but they gave up chances worth 1.53 expected goals, less than the 1.81 they usually concede, and still let in three. The defensive numbers were better than usual, and the scoreline was not.

Alexandru Cicâldău set up Elisor's goal, and his work in midfield was one of the reasons the visitors kept the ball away from the hosts' own attack late on. Arellano's effort, rated 7.3, was the hosts' only reply and came too late to change the course of the match. The result left the hosts with little to show for their possession.

Universitatea Craiova move from one point to four after two matches, while Inter Club d'Escaldes remain without a point.

Player of the matchȘtefan Baiaram1 goal8.0

Vladimir Screciu1 shot on target7.6

Alexandru Cicâldău1 assist7.5

Borja Arellano1 goal7.3