71% possession, nothing to show: Venezia undone by a keeper

Venezia had 71% of the ball against Lecce and lost 0-2. The expected-goals board, though, was near-level — Venezia 2.10, Lecce 2.21 — which reframes the night entirely. This was not a smash-and-grab; both sides created plenty. The difference was who finished, and who had the goalkeeper.

The Lecce goalkeeper made six saves, repeatedly denying a Venezia side that mustered 19 shots and twelve efforts from inside the box. Venezia even had a goal chalked off on 16 minutes. When the margins are this fine, a keeper in this form is worth more than any share of possession — and he was the single most decisive figure on the pitch.

Lecce, meanwhile, took their moments: Olaf Gorter struck straight after the break on 46, and Tiago Gabriel settled it on 80. Two clean finishes from a side content to soak up pressure and pick its spots — 2.21 xG converted, while Venezia’s 2.10 yielded nothing.

Venezia will feel hard done by, and the underlying numbers back them: dominate the ball, match your opponent for chances, and you usually take something. This time a red-hot goalkeeper and their own wastefulness left them with zero. Lecce will not care — they were ruthless where it counted.