Panathinaikos scored from fewer chances than usual in Almaty

Panathinaikos won at Kairat Almaty with fewer shots than they usually take away, and Cyriel Dessers scored twice from the spot and open play.

V. Taborda gave Panathinaikos the lead inside six minutes in Almaty, and Cyriel Dessers made it two from the penalty spot on 24. Early goals like that usually come from a side that has been creating the better openings, so it is worth checking what Panathinaikos actually created. The answer is less than they normally manage away from home, and yet the scoreline ran well beyond what their chances alone would suggest.

The measure that tells us most here is expected goals, a rough score for each shot based on where it was taken from and how clean the chance was. Panathinaikos finished on 2.49, against a season average of 3.44 when they play away, so their chances were worth less than usual. They also took 11 shots, well short of the 19 they average on their travels, which suggests they were not forcing the issue but waiting for openings.

Panathinaikos had 58% of the ball, a higher share than their away average of 52.5%. Kairat had 42% and took 12 shots, close to the typical 12.5 that a side in this league takes per match. Only two of those reached the goalkeeper, though, and eight flew off target, which is why Kairat's expected goals of 0.83 sat well below the league's typical figure of 1.31 per team.

Cyriel Dessers was the player the match turned on. He scored twice and posted a rating of 9.2, the highest on either side, from three shots with two on target. His second goal came from a pass by A. Tetteh on 47, and he was replaced on 56 with the scoreline already in Panathinaikos's favour.

Not everything went Panathinaikos's way. A Tetteh goal on 29 was ruled out after a VAR check for offside, a reminder that the result was shaped by a few decisions as well as by chances. Kings Kangwa on 57 and Elmin Rastoder on 75 added to the lead before Ismail Bekbolat's goal on 79 gave Kairat their only reply, and he was the best-rated home player with 7.7.

Panathinaikos also had nine shots inside the box to Kairat's six, so their attempts came from closer to goal even on a lighter day for shooting overall. Kairat's attacks were more often wide or high, with eight of their 12 efforts missing the target. That gap between where the shots came from and how they ended is the story of the afternoon.

The table has Panathinaikos 11th with three points and Kairat 18th with one.

Player of the matchCyriel Dessers2 goals9.2

Ismail Bekbolat1 goal7.7

Kings Kangwa1 goal7.5

Elmin Rastoder1 goal7.5