Orlando won with barely a third of the ball against New England

Braian Ojeda's goal in first-half stoppage was enough for Orlando City SC against the New England Revolution, even though they had far less of the ball.

Orlando City SC won with barely a third of the ball, and that is the odd part of this one. They had 36% possession, well under the 53.5% they usually keep at home, while New England Revolution had 64%, far above the 49.6% they average away. The only goal came in the 45th minute from Braian Ojeda, and it went to the side that held less of the ball.

Orlando's attack was busier than usual but no more dangerous. They took 15 shots, above the 12.3 they average at home, and eight of them came from inside the box. Expected goals, a figure that scores each chance by how often chances of that kind go in, came to 1.2, a shade under their usual 1.37.

The more telling figure is at the other end. New England took nine shots and only three were on target, which is below what they usually create away from home. Their expected goals of 0.91 sat well under their normal level on the road. Orlando usually concede 2.44 expected goals at home, so a figure that low means the chances they allowed were far fewer and far less clear than their own record suggests.

New England had more of the ball and more of the passing. They completed 628 of their 668 passes, a high rate by any measure, but that spell of possession produced only six shots from inside the box. Of all their efforts, only three were on target, and the chances they did get did not add up to much in the expected goals total.

Games in this league average 3.3 goals, so a single goal means this match finished well below the norm. Both sides made five changes during the game, and New England's last came in the 84th minute. Orlando's changes came later, with the final one arriving in the 82nd minute, so the team that had the ball most of the night was the one that changed its shape least after the interval.

Orlando kept a clean sheet, and Maxime Crépeau did much of the work to keep it that way, making four saves across the match. The goal that decided it was scored by Braian Ojeda before the break, and nothing after it changed the result. New England left with more of the ball but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard, and Orlando left with the win and the clean sheet.

Player of the matchB. Ojeda1 goal8.2

M. Crépeau4 saves7.3

M. Fofana4 duels won7.3

Carles Gil2 chances created7.2