Match Centre

West Brom's 1-0 victory at Pride Park was a triumph of defensive resilience over territorial dominance, with the visitors absorbing pressure despite playing over half the game with 10 men. Aune Heggebo's 16th-minute goal (assisted by J. Morgan) proved decisive in a match where Derby's 67% possession translated to just 3 shots on target from 13 attempts, underlining their lack of cutting edge. West Brom's only shot on target was Heggebo's winner, but they defended their lead doggedly after Brayann Pereira's 34th-minute red card.

Derby created quantity without quality, registering a concerning 7 shots off target and 3 blocked despite 11 corners, while West Brom's compact defensive shape limited them to just 0.4 xG across the 90 minutes. The hosts' wastefulness was epitomised by their failure to test West Brom's goalkeeper beyond routine saves, with 3 of their 13 shots failing to hit the target from inside the box. The telling statistic? Derby mustered just 0.07 xG per shot – a clear indicator of their inability to break down a disciplined low block.