Uzuni's two goals gave Austin the win and the better chances

Austin beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 by taking fewer shots but making far better ones, with Myrto Uzuni scoring both goals.

Myrto Uzuni scored both Austin goals, and the second, in the 86th minute, is what settled this game in Kansas City. Sporting Kansas City had gone ahead on 55 minutes through Stephen Afrifa, who finished a move that André Luiz had started. Uzuni levelled nine minutes later and then won it with a few minutes left to play.

The rest of the story is about who made the better chances rather than who had the ball. Austin had 56% of the possession, well above their usual 50.2%, while Sporting had 44% against their usual 46.8%. Possession on its own tells us little, so the more useful figure is expected goals, usually shortened to xG, which scores each shot by how likely it was to go in based on where and how it was struck. Austin's xG was 1.82, more than double their own usual 0.82.

Sporting Kansas City took more shots than usual, well above their normal 12.7 a game, but only five of them were on target and eleven went off target. Their xG was 1.47, which is exactly the league average, and comfortably above their own usual 0.81. Austin took fewer shots than the league average of 13.5 a side, yet eight of theirs were on target. Fewer attempts, more of them dangerous, is the pattern that decided the game.

Defensively, the figure worth noticing is the chances Sporting allowed. At home they usually concede an xG of 1.61, and Austin's 1.82 on the night is higher than that, so the openings given up were worse than normal. Austin, who usually concede 2.12 xG when away, were on the other side of that gap, since the chances Sporting made were below what Austin normally give up.

Afrifa's goal was the only one Sporting managed, but Ervin Karić created five chances for team-mates, and the home goalkeeper, S. Cleveland, made five saves to keep the score close for as long as he could. Sporting also picked up five yellow cards to Austin's two, with none of them a red, and the last came from Owen Wolff at 90 minutes. Austin's discipline was cleaner, and their players stayed on the pitch.

Sporting Kansas City sit 15th in the table with 22 points from 30 matches, six wins and four draws. Austin are 14th with 31 points from the same number of games, built on seven wins and ten draws. Austin's points total depends more on draws than Sporting's does, and this win adds a third away victory to a side that has not been beaten by many clubs in the division.

Player of the matchM. Uzuni2 goals9.1

S. Afrifa1 goal7.4

E. Karić5 chances created7.4

Guilherme Biro4 duels won7.0