xGA (Expected Goals Against)

xGA, or Expected Goals Against, is an essential football metric used to evaluate a team’s defensive performance and estimate the number of goals they are likely to concede based on the quality and location of shots faced by their defense. This predictive measure considers the difficulty of shots faced by a team’s goalkeeper, taking into account factors such as shot location, angle, and the defensive pressure applied. Lower xGA values suggest a strong defensive performance, indicating that the team is effectively limiting high-probability goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition. Evaluating xGA helps coaches and analysts assess a team’s defensive solidity, identify areas for improvement, and devise strategies to enhance their defensive capabilities.