In the UEFA Europa League's group stage, Sweden's Elfsborg, statistically one of the weakest teams in several aspects, still leads its next opponent, Qarabag, in terms of points and standings.
The Swedish team is ahead of the Azerbaijani side by 1 point and 4 positions.
Idman.biz has analyzed the statistical performance of these two teams to shed light on their strengths and weaknesses.
In terms of goals scored, Qarabag trails behind. Over five matches, Elfsborg has scored 7 goals, while Qarabag has only managed 4. Defensively, the Swedish side has conceded 11 goals, two fewer than their Azerbaijani counterparts.
Despite their lower goal tally, Qarabag has been far more active in attack, registering 56 shots over five matches compared to Elfsborg’s 35. Of these, 18 were on target for Qarabag compared to 16 for Elfsborg. However, Elfsborg has a better accuracy ratio, as their players convert more attempts into meaningful shots.
Six of Qarabag’s attempts hit the woodwork, whereas Elfsborg has had no such misfortune.
Qarabag ranks 9th among the tournament's 36 teams for total attacking efforts (181), well ahead of Elfsborg, which is 35th (104). In corner kicks, Qarabag also dominates with 27 compared to Elfsborg’s 10.
Set pieces highlight a similar advantage: Qarabag has executed 80 free kicks to the Swedes’ 46. However, the Azerbaijani champions have been caught offside more frequently (13 times versus 9).
Possession stats may give Qarabag hope. With a 50% ball possession rate compared to Elfsborg’s 36.8%—the lowest in the competition—Qarabag could leverage this strength in their matchup.
Qarabag’s passing game stands out. The team completed 83.2% of their 2,251 passes accurately, compared to Elfsborg’s 72% from 1,507 passes, the lowest in the tournament. Even in long passes, Qarabag outperformed, completing 50% of 82 attempts compared to Elfsborg’s 38% accuracy from 73 attempts.
Qarabag outshines its Swedish rivals in physical duels, winning 52.5% of challenges compared to 42.2% for Elfsborg. Positional battles also favor Qarabag at 56.6%, while aerial duels lean toward Elfsborg, reflecting their height advantage (43.3% vs. 37.4%).
Additional Metrics
Successful dribbles: Qarabag leads with 39 to Elfsborg’s 28.
Ball recoveries: 119 for Qarabag, 80 for Elfsborg.
Goalkeeper saves: A close competition, with Qarabag making 23 saves (4th in the league) and Elfsborg 22 saves (6th).
In terms of fouls committed, Qarabag players have broken the rules 49 times, while their opponents have done so 64 times. Conversely, Elfsborg’s opponents have committed only 40 fouls against them, compared to 65 against Qarabag.
With clear advantages in key areas, Qarabag has plenty of reasons to remain optimistic for their upcoming match. Strategic execution will be critical in turning these numbers into victory.
Vugar Mammadov
Idman.biz
