Osasuna had the ball at Sevilla, but far fewer chances than usual

Sevilla beat Osasuna at home while the visitors had more of the ball but created far less than they normally do.

Osasuna had more of the ball than they usually do away from home, and got far less out of it. Sevilla won 2-0 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Isaac Romero opening the scoring on 24 minutes and Félix Correia adding the second on 82, with Youssouf Fofana providing an assist for both. The scoreline is simple enough. The chances behind it are the more interesting story.

Possession is the share of the ball each side has. Osasuna held 56% here, against an away average of 45.8%, so the ball was theirs more often than usual. Expected goals, which rates each chance by where it was taken and how it was struck, tells the other half of the picture: Osasuna's chances added up to 0.74, against the 1.91 they usually create on their travels. They had more of the ball, and the danger it produced was far lower than normal.

The number of shots was not the problem. Osasuna took 10, close to the 10.6 they average away from home, but only two of them were on target. Aitor Fernández made five saves to stop the scoreline being worse, and he was the busiest goalkeeper on the pitch. Sevilla's keeper had to make only two.

Sevilla's shooting tells a different story. They took 17, well above the 11 they average at home, and seven of those were on target. Their expected goals of 1.18 sat just under the 1.32 they average at home, though, and eight of their efforts came from outside the penalty area, where chances are harder to convert. They also had 44% of the ball, a little above the 40.8% they usually keep at home, so their attack came from volume more than quality.

Both Sevilla goals came from the same sort of ball into the same place, and they were enough. Correia's late finish was the best individual performance on the pitch, rated 8.1, and the game was settled once he had scored. Osasuna received two yellow cards, Alejandro Catena and Valentin Rosier, but neither side lost a player. Sevilla conceded nothing, against an average of 1.8 goals a game at home.

Sevilla sit sixth in the table, with 14 points from their home games, while Osasuna are twelfth on 11 points from their away matches. Osasuna have conceded 18 goals on their travels this season, and scored 10.

Player of the matchFélix Correia1 goal8.1

Isaac1 goal7.8

Aitor Fernández5 saves7.6

Y. Fofana2 assists7.6