St. Louis had the ball and the shots, San Diego the only goal

San Diego beat St. Louis City at Citypark with a single goal from Anders Dreyer, while the home side's shots were better in number than in quality.

Sixteen shots at home is a lot for St. Louis City, and their average this season is around ten and a half. Yet they lost at Citypark to San Diego, and the reason lies less in how often they shot than in how good those shots were. Expected goals, or xG, is a rough score for the quality of a chance: a close tap-in counts for most of a goal, a long-range effort for very little. St. Louis's total was 1.39, above their home norm of 1.18 but still short of the 1.47 that an average side in this league produces in a match.

St. Louis also had most of the ball, with 60 per cent against a home average of 54.5. Possession is simply who has the ball, and holding it more often usually means more attacks, but it did not translate into clear openings here. Seven of their shots were on target, yet the home side's defence held firm enough that the visitors' goalkeeper was rarely the one under pressure at the end of a move.

San Diego had only 40 per cent of the ball, which is well below their away average of 59.7. Their xG came to 0.75, against an away average of 2.06, so the chances they made were fewer and less threatening than usual. The moment that decided the match came at 39 minutes, when Anders Dreyer finished a move started by Alejandro Alvarado Jr. Dreyer's goal was the only one, and it was enough.

The man who did the most to keep the score where it stood was P. Sisniega, who made six saves. That number tells us that St. Louis were forcing their way into shooting positions and that the visitors' goalkeeper was busy throughout. Alvarado earned a yellow card at 56 minutes, and San Diego had two substitutions at half time and five more after the hour. The home side made five changes of their own, three of them together at 63 minutes, but no one was sent off at any point.

Neither side arrived in especially good form. St. Louis had won two of their last six home matches and lost three, with one draw. San Diego had not won any of their last six away games, drawing four and losing two. A side that has lost its away form is not always in trouble, but it was a difficult trip for a team already struggling to pick up points on the road.

On the table, St. Louis have a home record of 14 wins, 9 draws and 9 defeats from 32 games, which places them third. San Diego's away record is eight wins, 11 draws and 13 defeats, and that leaves them 13th.

Player of the matchP. Sisniega6 saves8.3

A. Dreyer1 goal8.0

A. Alvarado1 assist7.7

T. Baumgartl5 duels won7.4