This First Division clash between Waterford FC and Athlone Town at Waterford on 1st September 2023 was a captivating encounter that sees Athlone Town edge Waterford FC by a single goal, two to one. There are key statistical factors that paint a vivid picture of the game and depict the reasons behind this outcome.

The match kicked off with a very fast-paced momentum. Athlone Town took the lead only 12 minutes and 13 seconds into the first half. The response from Waterford FC was rapid, as they equalized only under three minutes later. However, Athlone Town was quickly able to regain their lead at the 16 minute 12 seconds mark, leaving the score at an intense 2-1 by the end of the first half.

In terms of discipline, Athlone Town displayed a slightly reckless game, incurring a total of 5 yellow cards as opposed to Waterford FC's 2. Athlone Town particularly struggled in the second half, where they earned four out of their five yellow cards. Such a high number of warnings could have seriously endangered their lead. However, no red cards were registered from either side, indicating that none of the offenses were serious enough to warrant a player being sent off.

An interesting statistic point that arose from this match was the number of corner kicks. Waterford FC led in this area significantly, achieving 8 corner kicks compared to Athlone Town's 3. This indicates that Waterford FC had a larger share of the attacking play, putting Athlone Town's defensive line under constant pressure.

Despite this dominance, Waterford FC struggled to convert these opportunities into goals, indicating possible issues within their final third gameplay. Their finishing seems to be a specific area of concern, especially when considering they only managed to register a single goal from the entire game.

Athlone Town, despite committing more fouls and earning more cards, managed to capitalize on their scoring chances more effectively. Scoring two goals from far fewer corner chances shows a significant degree of clinical finishing in front of the goal.

In conclusion, although Waterford FC dominated certain statistical fields such as corner kicks, their inability to convert these chances cost them the match. Their scoring efficiency was far less than Athlone Town's. On the other hand, Athlone Town, despite lingering discipline issues, exemplified efficiency in front of the goal, ensuring they bagged the three points from this contest.

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