Club Brugge KV's four goals came on fewer chances than usual

Club Brugge KV beat Zulte Waregem 4-2 with fewer chances than they usually create, and finished the ones they got.

Club Brugge KV were ahead after three minutes, when Vetlesen scored with Tresoldi credited with the assist, and by half-time they had four goals on the board. The chances behind those goals tell a quieter story. Expected goals, or xG, is a figure that adds up how good each shot was, and Club Brugge KV's chances came to 1.23, well below the 2.41 they average when they play away. Read against the scoreline, the evening was less a flood of openings than a side making the few it had count.

The ball tells the same story from the other side. Club Brugge KV kept 74% of it, above the 63% they usually have on their travels, while Zulte Waregem were left with 26%, against the 46.4% they average at home. The visitors also completed 90% of their passes, so their possession was tidy as well as large.

The timing shaped the match. Club Brugge KV's first three goals came in a quick burst in the first half, and Zulte Waregem replied only once before the interval, at 32 minutes. Their second goal arrived at 59 minutes, which pulled the score back to 4-2 but came after the visitors had already built a lead that was hard to hold back.

Zulte Waregem were not short of quality, though. Their chances came to 1.59, more than double their home average of 0.69 and above the league's average of 1.33 per side. They had seven shots, fewer than the 10.9 they average at home, but five came from inside the box, and Tobias Hedl scored twice from his two shots.

Zulte Waregem also conceded four, where they usually concede 1.5 at home. Measured in the same way, the chances Club Brugge KV made were a little over the 1.08 that Zulte Waregem usually allow. The four goals therefore came from finishing as much as from a flood of openings, and the visitors took their chances more ruthlessly than their usual record suggests.

Tresoldi was involved in two goals, scoring at 36 minutes and assisting the opener, and his rating of 8.3 reflects that. Forbs, Vanaken and Vetlesen also found the net, so the four goals were spread across the side rather than resting on one man.

Club Brugge KV are second in the table with 24 points, and they have won eight of their nine away matches this season. They have also won each of their last six. Zulte Waregem are 10th with 11 points and have taken one win and one draw from their last six.

Player of the matchTobias Hedl2 goals9.2

Nicolò Tresoldi1 goal · 1 assist8.3

Carlos Forbs1 goal8.2

Hans Vanaken1 goal8.0