Twente Waste 7 Big Chances in 2-2 at Groningen
Twente posted 2.21 xG and seven big chances at Groningen and still drew 2-2. All four goals came before half-time.
Published 6 Sept 20262 min read
Twente left Groningen with a point they should have turned into three. The 2-2 draw in Eredivisie Round 5 finished with Twente on 2.21 expected goals to Groningen's 1.24, seven big chances to three, and 2.13 xG on target to 0.43. All four goals arrived inside 40 minutes. The second half produced none.
Key Numbers
Groningen actually out-shot Twente 19-14 and won seven corners to two. Ten of those 19 home shots were blocked. Twente put five of 14 on target and created seven big chances. Possession finished 45-55. Pass completion was 79% (262/332) for Groningen and 86% (345/400) for Twente.
Marko Pjaca opened in the sixth minute from a Wout Weghorst assist. Thom van Bergen equalized in the 18th from a David van der Werff assist. Tika Land put Groningen ahead in the 29th from a Thijmen Blokzijl assist. Weghorst leveled in the 40th from a Younes Taha assist.
Tactical Reading
Both sides started in a 4-2-3-1. Dick Lukkien's Groningen pressed into 29 touches in the opposition box against Twente's 18 and won 52 duels to 29. That physical edge produced the two first-half home goals. It did not produce second-half control.
Twente completed 79% of final-third passes (99/125) and 54% of crosses (7/13). Expected assists finished 1.97-1.05 in the visitors' favor. The first-half xG was already 1.33-0.64. After the break Groningen packed the box: 22 clearances, 13 tackles won from 17, and a wall of blocked shots.
Twente's xGOT of 2.13 against two goals shows the waste. Lars Unnerstall faced only 0.43 xGOT and still conceded twice, a goals-prevented figure of -1.57. Etienne Vaessen made three saves and posted +0.13 goals prevented against 2.13 xGOT faced.
Standout Performers
Weghorst assisted the opener and scored the equalizer. Pjaca finished the sixth-minute chance. Van Bergen and Land scored Groningen's replies. Taha created Weghorst's goal. Vaessen's three saves protected a point after Twente's seven big chances.
What It Means
Groningen sit 15th after three listed matches, on one point with five scored and 10 conceded. Twente are sixth on four points from two, with six scored and three conceded. The visitors created almost twice the xG and more than twice the big chances.
For live soccer on TV viewers the first 40 minutes were an open 4-2-3-1 exchange. The last 50 were a low-block problem Twente did not solve. Seven big chances and 2.21 xG should beat a side sitting 15th. They did not.