AFC 1903
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Scottish Premiership · Sat, 3 Jan 2026 · Away
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Falkirk
Falkirk
10
FT · Loss
Aberdeen
Aberdeen
1.53xG
-0.96AFC xGD
xG0.57
Expected points 2.290.72
Deserved defeat
The verdict
Event data: Opta

A harsh defeat on the balance of chances.

Falkirk generated more attacking volume — 21 shots and 32 box touches to Aberdeen's 7 and 19. But Aberdeen created the better chances: 0.08 xG per shot to 0.07, and the bigger ones (0–1 big chances).

Result model · all chances
Expected points 0.722.29
From the full xG (0.571.53), penalty included.
Performance model · excl. penalty
Expected 0.72 pts
From non-penalty xG (0.571.53). Took 0.
Some misfortune.Aberdeen deserved more than they got from the chances created.
The match in three battles
Chance qualitySTRONG OPPONENT EDGE
0.57 – 1.53
Expected goals · Aberdeen – Falkirk
AFC xG baseline: 1.19
0.08 – 0.07
xG per shot
7 – 21
shots
Chance quality was broadly even between the sides.
Territory & progressionOPPONENT EDGE
2.25 – 2.78
Expected threat created · Aberdeen – Falkirk
AFC xT baseline: 1.88
45% – 55%
field tilt
41 – 77
final-third entries
Territory was relatively even, but Aberdeen's passing generated more threat than usual.
Defensive resistanceMIXED
1.53 xGA
chances conceded
0.03 better than AFC baseline (1.56)
32 (base 26)
Falkirk box touches
0.07
xG per Falkirk shot
Falkirk accessed Aberdeen's box too easily, but most of their shots were low quality.
ShapeAberdeen started 4-2-3-1 and stayed in it for the whole match. Falkirk stayed in 4-2-3-1 throughout.

xG timeline

Aberdeen 0.57Falkirk 1.53GoalAberdeen above · opponent below · shaded = sustained pressure
13%
26%
61%
Match odds from simulating these shots at their own xG (20,000 runs) — for fun, not a prediction: it scores what should have happened, not what did.
0.00.51.01.5HT0'15'30'45'60'75'90'0-1 · Lissah
Each step is a shot; the line climbs by that shot's xG. Steeper, sustained climbs (shaded) mark spells of real pressure.
Shots

Falkirk Shot Map

1 goal: 1 open play
Goal
Saved
Blocked
Post
Off target
21 shots

Shot mix & shots over time

0shots · 0 on target
By situation
Every shot in one bucket only. Open play covers unassisted and assisted attempts; counter is a fast break; free kicks, direct set pieces and throw-in routines are grouped because there are rarely enough of any one of them in a single match to read separately. A mix heavy on corners and free kicks with few open-play shots means the side needed a dead ball to get near the goal.
Shots over timefull match · drag to focus a period
Aberdeen 0Falkirk 21
0'HTFT 
Five-minute buckets — a side takes roughly a dozen shots a match, so the two-minute bars used for passing would be almost all gaps. Use the buttons for the common windows, or drag across the chart for anything else.
In context
AberdeenThis matchThis season
5 games
5-year
190 games
SPFL average
66 team-games
Shots79.812.114.8
below usual · 25 of 190 lower
Shots in the box56.27.910.2
below usual · 36 of 190 lower
marker = 5-year mean
Passing & build-up

Build-Up Play

Where Aberdeen's passes were and how they progressed the ball

Pass Territory
55.4%
26.7%
17.9%
Own Half
Middle
Final 3rd
Season avg: 46.2% own half
GK Distribution
GK Long Ball %
55.2%avg 60.4%
GK Total Passes
29avg 31
Build-Up Quality
Own-Half Accuracy
82.2%avg 86.0%
Progression
Progressive Passes
36avg 49
Directness
59.8%avg 57.9%
Season avg
Above avg
Below avg
In context · full match
AberdeenThis matchThis season
5 games
5-year
190 games
Passes334376.8392.4
about normal · 57 of 190 lower
Pass accuracy %7475.472.2
about normal · 100 of 190 lower
Passes into the final third2427.225.2
about normal · 94 of 190 lower
Long balls4353.257.8
below usual · 19 of 190 lower
Long balls, % of passes12.914.415.6
about normal · 57 of 190 lower
marker = 5-year mean
The match by half
 AberdeenUsualFalkirk
xG0.531.171.53
Big chances01.81
Touches in box1921.632
Possession %4448.156
Chance creation was fairly even across the two halves.
FotMob period stats — same source as the match xG. Usual = Aberdeen’s average for this half across 38 games in 2025-26. Green or red marks a figure clearly above or below our own norm, never a comparison with Falkirk.

Historical Context

How this match compares to the season so far

This match vs season so far
37 comparable games — each metric says how many of them actually have that stat.
xG
0.57avg 1.21
11th worst of 38 · Highest 3.76, 14 December 2025 (2-1) · Lowest 0.32, 11 January 2026 (0-2)
xGA
1.53avg 1.56
18th worst of 38 · Highest 4.72, 21 December 2025 (1-3) · Lowest 0.10, 11 April 2026 (2-0)
Possession
44%avg 48%
17th worst of 38 · Highest 72%, 27 December 2025 (1-1) · Lowest 27%, 21 December 2025 (1-3)
Shots
7.0avg 11.4
10th worst of 38 · Highest 21.0, 6 December 2025 (3-1) · Lowest 5.0, 28 February 2026 (0-1)
Shots on target
0.0avg 3.5
3rd worst of 38 · Highest 9.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 0.0, 28 February 2026 (0-1)
Big chances
0.0avg 1.8
7th worst of 38 · Highest 5.0, 14 December 2025 (2-1) · Lowest 0.0, 23 November 2025 (1-0)
Box touches
19.0avg 21.6
17th worst of 38 · Highest 37.0, 24 January 2026 (6-2) · Lowest 7.0, 21 March 2026 (1-4)
Final third entries
41.0avg 55.8
6th worst of 38 · Highest 85.0, 14 March 2026 (1-1) · Lowest 29.0, 21 December 2025 (1-3)
Key passes
6.0avg 8.2
17th worst of 38 · Highest 15.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 3.0, 23 November 2025 (1-0)
Corners
4.0avg 4.7
17th best of 38 · Highest 11.0, 5 October 2025 (4-0) · Lowest 1.0, 10 August 2025 (0-2)
Tackles
18.0avg 15.8
11th best of 38 · Highest 27.0, 9 November 2025 (1-1) · Lowest 6.0, 27 December 2025 (1-1)
Interceptions
3.0avg 8.6
4th worst of 38 · Highest 20.0, 28 February 2026 (0-1) · Lowest 2.0, 27 December 2025 (1-1)
PPDA
15.9avg 15.1
12th worst of 33 · Highest 31.4, 10 August 2025 (0-2) · Lowest 9.3, 11 January 2026 (0-2)
Counter-press rate
4%avg 6%
9th worst of 33 · Highest 11%, 24 February 2026 (0-0) · Lowest 2%, 9 November 2025 (1-1)
avg
Above avg
Below avg

Where this performance ranks

Against Aberdeen’s other matches this season — only the standout highs and lows.

0shots on target
36th of 38 · among the worst
Form:WWLDL(last 5)
Away this season: 4-2-13, 0.961.71 xG avg
Detailed stats not available for this match