BW Linz vs Altach — Austrian Bundesliga

**BW Linz 3-0 Altach**

**What set this match apart:** This match was more unusual than 70% of matches, with the atypicality primarily rooted in defending (43% of the unusualness). Both teams were highly active in the opponent's half, completing 392 passes in total (95th percentile of the two teams' joint volume), with Altach making 214 to BW Linz's 178 (70th percentile of gaps). Despite this territorial presence, the game was defined by high-volume defensive actions, including 47 tackles (97th percentile of joint volume) and 58 clearances (93rd percentile of joint volume).

**How it played out:** BW Linz was clearly ahead in terms of direct threat, recording 7 shots on target to Altach's 1, a gap at the 94th percentile of gaps in a match with few shots on target overall (8 in total, 18th percentile of joint volume). They also took more long-range attempts, with 9 shots from distance to Altach's 2 (95th percentile of gaps). Altach, meanwhile, focused on a more patient build-up from the back, making 175 passes in their own half to BW Linz's 106 (78th percentile of gaps). They also bypassed the midfield more frequently, recording 26 accurate long balls to BW Linz's 15 (85th percentile of gaps) in a match with few accurate long balls overall (41 in total, 10th percentile). Defensively, BW Linz won the ball back more often with 27 tackles to Altach's 20 (89th percentile of gaps) and 15 interceptions to 13. Altach won more aerial duels (17 to 10, 87th percentile of gaps) and threw more bodies in front of shots, recording 8 blocked shots to BW Linz's 3 (90th percentile of gaps).

**Verdict:** The fair probabilities are BW Linz win 52%, draw 37%, and Altach win 11%. The performances pointed to a BW Linz win and that is what happened, supported by their 7 shots on target to Altach's 1 and 3 big chances to 1.