Galaxy's four goals came from better chances than usual

Los Angeles Galaxy beat Austin with chances worth more than their usual, and Marco Reus was involved in three of the goals.

Klauss gave Los Angeles Galaxy the lead after ten minutes, and the goals that followed say more about the chances than the scoreline does. Galaxy scored four times, while Austin scored once, but the more telling figure is how good each side's chances were.

Galaxy had 55% of the ball, against a home average of 45.3%, so they had more of it than they usually do. They also took 18 shots, well above their usual 13.2 and the league's 13.1 per side. Shots are weighed by expected goals, a measure of how likely each chance was to go in, and Galaxy's total of 2.44 was far above their usual 1.34 and the league's 1.46.

Austin had less of the ball than they normally manage on the road, with 45% against an away average of 50.6%. Their 12 shots were close to their usual 11.3, but their expected goals of 1.27 were above their away average of 0.95, so their chances were better than normal. Their finishing let them down, with one goal against an average of 1.4 scored per away game, and Austin's keeper made six saves to keep the margin from being wider.

Marco Reus was the main reason the chances turned into goals. He set up Lozano, Taylor and Roberto, three of Galaxy's four goals, and he was rated 9.1, the highest mark of the game. Galaxy's keeper barely had to work, with one save, because Austin's shots were mostly blocked or off target and only two of them reached the goal.

Galaxy's finishing was also sharper than the chances alone would suggest. Four goals from 2.44 expected goals means they scored more than their chances should have produced on average, and the lead grew steadily from 2-0 at half-time to 4-1 after 66 minutes. Torres pulled one back for Austin at 54 minutes, but the game was already moving away from them.

Austin's home and away form is not what the table alone would suggest, since they are 14th with 34 points. In their last six away games they have won once, and they now have a difficult look at what the chances said against what the scoreboard said. Galaxy sit tenth with 41 points.

Austin have conceded four in an away game when they usually concede fewer, and Galaxy kept their chance quality higher than usual. For Galaxy, the result was built on the front three of Klauss, Lozano and Taylor, with Reus pulling the strings. Austin's own chances were better than normal, but the goals went the other way.

Player of the matchM. Reus3 assists9.1

Klauss1 goal8.2

Sergi Roberto1 goal8.2

R. Taylor1 goal8.0