Real Salt Lake's chances outran their share of the ball

Real Salt Lake beat Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium with less of the ball but far sharper chances than they usually create.

Real Salt Lake were two goals up by the 13th minute, Sergi Solans finding the net in the 10th and Chadwick Zachary Booth in the 13th. Everything after that had to be read from such a start. The home side went on to win 2-1 against Los Angeles Galaxy, but the more telling story lies in the chances they created.

Real Salt Lake had 44% of the ball, a good deal less than the 50.2% they usually keep. Possession is the share of time a side spends with the ball at its feet, and it is easy to assume the side with more of it makes the chances. Here it was the other way round. They took 20 shots, well above their usual 14.8, and nine of them tested the goalkeeper.

The best way to judge the quality of chances is expected goals, which adds up how likely each shot was to go in, based on where and how it was struck. Real Salt Lake reached 2.93 on that measure, against a usual figure of 1.72 per match. Sixteen of their shots came from inside the penalty area, which is where most goals are scored from. The average side in the league produces 1.44 on the same measure, so this was a considerably stronger attacking night than normal.

Los Angeles Galaxy had 56% of the ball, well above the 45.3% they usually hold, yet that possession did not turn into much. Their expected goals came to 0.96, below the 1.51 they usually generate. Their shot count of 13 was close to the 13.3 they average, so the volume was ordinary and the difference lay in how good the chances were. J. Marcinkowski made six saves in the Galaxy goal and was rated 7.4, the strongest return of any Galaxy player.

Sergi Solans was the figure in the home attack. He had eight shots, scored once, and was rated 8.2, the best mark on the pitch. Chadwick Zachary Booth's goal came from a player who had been on for only part of the match, having been substituted in at 58 minutes. Real Salt Lake's goals were 2, well above the 1.4 they usually score, and they conceded 1 against a usual 1.5.

Galaxy's goal output was lower than usual, scoring 1 against an average of 1.9. Their defensive figure, two conceded, matched the 2 they usually allow, so their problem was at the other end. The total of three goals in the match was in line with the league average of 3.2 per game, so the scoring itself was ordinary even if the way it was made was not.

Over their last six matches, Real Salt Lake have won three, drawn one and lost two. Los Angeles Galaxy have also won three in their last six, with one of the defeats a 2-6 loss that stands out from the rest. Both sides arrive at this result with form that is mixed rather than settled.

Player of the matchS. Solans1 goal8.2

N. Caliskan1 assist7.7

Chadwick Zachary Booth1 goal7.4

J. Marcinkowski6 saves7.4