Nicolas Jackson scored and produced a 7.3-rated performance as Aston Villa defeated Club Brugge 3–2 at the Jan Breydel Stadium in their opening UEFA Champions League fixture.

Jackson's goal was the headline.

The underlying numbers reveal considerably more.

The Senegal international generated 1.17 expected goals, 1.29 expected goals on target and 0.15 expected assists, while also producing three key passes and one big chance created.

His Aston Villa teammate Aaron Wan-Bissaka recorded a 6.9 rating during his 68 minutes.

Wan-Bissaka produced 10 defensive contributions, won four of five ground duels and completed 92% of his passes.

But his performance contained one major negative:

He conceded a penalty.

For Deduction, the two performances provide contrasting examples of how individual actions influence match ratings.

Jackson combined high-quality goalscoring opportunities with creation and progression.

Wan-Bissaka produced substantial defensive volume and excellent possession security, but one costly defensive action significantly changed the complexion of his performance.

Match Information

Competition: UEFA Champions League
Round: 1
Date: 8 September 2026
Venue: Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium
Result: Club Brugge 2–3 Aston Villa

African Player Performance Board

Nicolas Jackson 🇸🇳 — Goal, Threat and Creation

Match Rating: 7.3

Jackson's performance was built around much more than his goal.

The Aston Villa forward recorded:

1 goal

1.17 xG

1.29 xGOT

3 shots

2 shots on target

3 key passes

1 big chance created

0.15 xA

For a centre-forward, that represents involvement in several different attacking phases.

Jackson was both a finisher and a creator.

Jackson Match Data

1.17 xG Shows the Quality of Jackson's Chances

Jackson accumulated:

1.17 expected goals

from only:

3 shots

That's approximately:

0.39 xG per shot

This is an important indicator.

Jackson wasn't simply shooting frequently.

He was getting into high-value goalscoring positions.

Two of his three efforts tested the goalkeeper.

And those shots generated:

1.29 xGOT

The relationship between xG and xGOT is interesting.

His xG measured the quality of the opportunities before the shots were struck.

His xGOT reflects the quality of the shots that actually went on target.

Jackson's 1.29 xGOT exceeding his 1.17 xG suggests the on-target efforts maintained — and marginally improved — the threat generated by the original opportunities.

One Goal — But the Data Suggests More Was Possible

Jackson scored once from 1.17 xG.

That is a good attacking return, but the expected-goals figure also indicates that Villa created enough shooting quality through Jackson for more than one goal to have been plausible.

This is where the performance can be viewed from two perspectives.

He scored.

That is decisive.

But his chance volume and quality indicate there was also an opportunity for an even bigger individual return.

Jackson Was Creating Too

Perhaps the most interesting part of Jackson's performance was his creativity.

He produced:

3 key passes

1 big chance created

0.15 xA

A striker generating three key passes while simultaneously accumulating 1.17 xG is significant.

It means Jackson wasn't operating exclusively as the end point of Villa's attacks.

He was also contributing to their construction.

That combination gives the performance greater value.

80.5 Metres of Progressive Carrying

Jackson also provided a direct transition threat.

He registered:

11 carries

133.9m total carrying distance

3 progressive carries

80.5m progressive carrying distance

32.2m longest progressive carry

The 80.5 metres of progressive carrying is particularly significant relative to his overall carrying distance.

Jackson therefore wasn't merely receiving the ball in advanced areas.

He was capable of transporting it there himself.

His longest progressive carry covered:

32.2 metres

That gives Aston Villa another mechanism for attacking quickly when space opens ahead of him.

17 Sprints and 33.8 km/h

Jackson's physical numbers reinforce that direct attacking profile.

In 81 minutes he covered:

9.8km

and completed:

17 sprints

while reaching:

33.8 km/h

His movement breakdown included:

Walking + jogging: 7.29km
Running: 1.26km
High-speed running: 0.65km
Sprinting: 0.38km

The 17 sprints are particularly relevant for a forward.

They indicate repeated high-intensity movements designed to attack space, press defenders or offer runs beyond the defensive line.

Where Jackson Was Less Effective

The performance wasn't flawless.

Jackson won only:

3/9 ground duels

and:

0/2 aerial duels

He also lost possession:

12 times

from 39 touches.

His dribbling was mixed:

2/4 completed

These numbers suggest his greatest influence came when attacking space and getting into scoring positions rather than through sustained physical hold-up play.

Nevertheless, the decisive attacking output outweighed those limitations.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka 🇨🇩 — Strong Defensive Volume, One Costly Moment

Match Rating: 6.9

Wan-Bissaka's performance is considerably more complicated.

Across 68 minutes he produced:

10 defensive contributions

6 clearances

1 interception

2 recoveries

4/5 ground duels won

and completed:

23/25 passes — 92%

Those are strong numbers.

But he also:

conceded a penalty.

That single action provides important context for the 6.9 rating.

Wan-Bissaka Match Data

10 Defensive Contributions in 68 Minutes

Wan-Bissaka's defensive activity was substantial.

He produced:

10 defensive contributions

despite playing only 68 minutes.

Six were clearances.

He also recorded an interception and won:

4/5 ground duels — 80%

This suggests Club Brugge repeatedly attacked areas where Wan-Bissaka was required to intervene.

His ability in direct ground contests remained evident.

The Tackle Numbers Tell a Different Story

There is an interesting distinction between Wan-Bissaka's ground-duel and tackle statistics.

He won:

4/5 ground duels

but only:

1/3 tackles

He was also dribbled past once.

This is why broader defensive statistics matter.

Looking only at the four ground duels won would suggest near-total defensive dominance.

The tackle data reveals a more mixed picture.

The Penalty Changes the Evaluation

The major negative was:

1 penalty conceded

A penalty is one of the highest-cost defensive actions a player can make because it creates an extremely high-probability scoring opportunity.

That means Wan-Bissaka's defensive performance cannot be judged simply by adding up his tackles, clearances and duels.

He may make nine positive defensive interventions.

But one major error can still materially affect the match.

This is a useful example of why performance analysis needs event weighting rather than simply event counting.

92% Passing Provided Security

In possession, Wan-Bissaka was highly reliable.

He completed:

23/25 passes — 92%

including:

12/12 in his own half — 100%

and:

11/13 in the opposition half — 85%

He also created:

1 key pass

and accumulated:

0.13 xA

That gives his attacking contribution some substance.

However, only one of his four crosses found its target and he completed just one of three long passes.

Limited Progression

Unlike Jackson, Wan-Bissaka's contribution wasn't driven by carrying.

He recorded:

8 carries

44.6m carrying distance

14.6m total progression

That is relatively modest.

His primary contribution was therefore defensive and connective rather than progressive.

Jackson vs Wan-Bissaka — Different Ways of Influencing the Match

heir roles were completely different.

Jackson was responsible for creating and finishing attacking situations.

Wan-Bissaka was heavily involved in defending and circulating possession.

But the match's decisive individual African contribution came from Jackson.

Deduction African Player of the Match

🥇 Nicolas Jackson 🇸🇳 — 7.3

Jackson takes Deduction's African Player of the Match recognition.

His performance included:

⚽ 1 goal

🎯 1.17 xG

🥅 1.29 xGOT

🎯 2 shots on target

🔑 3 key passes

🔥 1 big chance created

📊 0.15 xA

📈 61.6m total progression

⚡ 80.5m progressive carrying

🏃 17 sprints

💨 33.8 km/h top speed

This was not simply a striker scoring a Champions League goal.

Jackson was involved in both finishing and creating Villa's attacks.

Deduction Verdict

Nicolas Jackson produced the standout African performance as Aston Villa secured a 3–2 Champions League victory in Bruges.

The goal matters.

But the underlying numbers strengthen the performance considerably.

Jackson generated 1.17 xG, 1.29 xGOT, three key passes, one big chance created and 80.5 metres of progressive carrying.

That is an unusually broad attacking contribution for a centre-forward.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka's performance was more contradictory.

His 10 defensive contributions, 80% ground-duel success and 92% passing accuracy demonstrate substantial positive involvement.

But the penalty conceded was a high-impact negative event and has to be included when evaluating his overall defensive contribution.

That leaves a useful Deduction lesson:

Volume tells us how involved a player was.

Efficiency tells us how well those actions were executed.

Decisive events tell us how much they ultimately mattered.

Final Score

Club Brugge 2–3 Aston Villa

African Player Ratings

🥇 🇸🇳 Nicolas Jackson — 7.3

🥈 🇨🇩 Aaron Wan-Bissaka — 6.9

Deduction African Player of the Match

Nicolas Jackson 🇸🇳 — 7.3

Deduction Key Metric

Jackson: 1 goal | 1.17 xG | 1.29 xGOT | 3 key passes | 80.5m progressive carrying

Jackson supplied the decisive attacking quality. Wan-Bissaka supplied defensive volume — but one costly intervention prevented an otherwise strong performance from ranking higher.

Deduction Football Intelligence — Tracking African Players Across the Globe.