Athletic had 62% of the ball but lost at Levante with ten men

Levante scored twice in the first 22 minutes, then held on after Athletic Club lost Aymeric Laporte to a red card and still had far more of the play.

Levante were two goals up inside 22 minutes, then won 3-1 with Athletic Club down to ten men for the final 17. Roger Brugué scored both early goals, the first set up by Daniel Requena Sánchez, and Levante were not behind until a penalty at 67 minutes. Karl Etta Eyong added the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, which is the goal that decided the match.

Athletic were given the penalty after a VAR review at 61 minutes, and Alex Berenguer converted it six minutes later. Laporte was sent off at 73 minutes, so Athletic spent the closing stretch a man short, and every late chance they had came against a side protecting a lead. Brugué was taken off at 72 minutes, shortly before the red card, which left Levante without their main scorer for the finish.

Athletic had the ball more than usual, with 62% possession against their away average of 53.6%. They also took 21 shots, well beyond the 10.8 they average away from home. Their expected goals figure, which measures how good the chances were by giving each shot a value based on its position and type, was 1.95, against an away average of 0.72. Only one of those shots went in, and that was the penalty, so the chances were better than the finishing.

Levante had less of the ball, 38% against a home average of 43.8%, and took 12 shots, close to their usual 11.6. Their expected goals of 1.08 was almost exactly their home norm of 1.06, so the quality of their chances was ordinary. They scored three goals, though, which is twice their home average of 1.5, and they conceded one, below the two they usually let in at home. For a side that had the smaller share of play, the result owes more to taking their openings than to creating extra ones.

Athletic's recent away form had been steadier than this result suggests. Their last two away matches were wins, both without conceding, and before those they had drawn three matches goalless. Conceding three here was a clear departure from that pattern, and it came in a match where they had the most shots and the most chances of the two sides.

Levante are 17th in the table on their record, and before this match they had won just once at home in eight. The side has been capable of scoring freely at home, as their recent results show, but they have also conceded heavily in some of those games. Levante's win was their first home result of note in some time, and it came from a side that did not dominate possession.

Across the league, matches in this competition have averaged three goals, and this one produced four, with the penalty and the late winner adding to the total. The match was not unusual for Levante, whose home numbers were close to their usual level, but the late turn of events made it stand out. Athletic's numbers were the surprise, with a level of play that their finishing did not match on the day.

Player of the matchBrugui2 goals8.6

Álex Berenguer1 goal7.3

Etta Eyong1 goal7.2

A. Mandi1 duels won7.2