Northern Ireland - NIFL PremiershipThe ShowgroundsData current as of 15 October 2026

Ballymena United vs Crusaders: match statistics

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Ballymena United vs Crusaders: form, goals and key statistics

Key match information

Ballymena United play Crusaders in NIFL Premiership (Northern Ireland). The match date is 17 October 2026. Venue: The Showgrounds.

Current form

Ballymena United: 2-2-1, 1.60 points/match. Crusaders: 2-0-3, 1.20 points/match.

Goal statistics

Ballymena United scores 1.50 and concedes 1.40 goals per match. Crusaders scores 1.36 and concedes 1.91. League average: 2.71 goals.

BTTS / Over / Under

BTTS: Ballymena United 60%, Crusaders 64%. Over 2.5: Ballymena United 50%, Crusaders 91%. League level: BTTS 47%, Over 2.5 52%.

xG, shots and style

Ballymena United has higher xG: 1.15 vs 0.95. Ballymena United: 8.4 shots per match, Crusaders: 7.1.

Match halves

Ballymena United: half-time lead 30%, second-half goals 0.80. Crusaders: half-time lead 36%, second-half goals 0.82.

Goals by minute

Ballymena United: 0-15 (5 goals). Crusaders: 76-90+ (6 goals). This is historical distribution, not a predicted goal minute.

League context

NIFL Premiership: 2.71 goals per match, BTTS 47%, Over 2.5 52%.

Head-to-head

Before this fixture, 5 previous H2H matches were available: 1-2-2. Average goals 3.20, BTTS 80%.

Before the match

1X2 odds

(1.60)
(3.92)
(4.42)

Pre-match profile— what do the season numbers say?

This is a team profile based on season data and form. Match-flow statistics are shown only after the fixture is played.

Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.5Goals scored / match1.36
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.4Goals conceded / match1.91
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
49%Average possession45%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
3.4Shots on target / match2.64
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

Team stats— who is more efficient?

Attack and defence comparison for both teams in the current season.

8.4Shots per match7.09
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
3.4Shots on target2.64
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
17.9%Shot conversion19.2%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
49%Possession45%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.15xG for0.95
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.38xG against1.45
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

Shooting quality

Ballymena United: Efficient finishingCrusaders: Counter-attacking
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
Accuracy (shots on target)40%37%
Chance quality (xG per shot)0.140.13
Finishing (goals per shot on target)0.440.52

xG per shot around 0.08 usually means long-range attempts; 0.15+ usually means box chances. The style label comes from possession, shot volume and conversion.

* xG (expected goals) says how many goals a team should score from its chances. If actual goals are above xG, finishing is above average; if below xG, chances are being missed.

Team form— who is in better shape?

Last five matches and season record, overall and split by home and away matches.

Ballymena United is 33% better for: last-5 form.

1.6 pts / match - Ballymena United · 1.2 pts / match - Crusaders

Ballymena United
DDWWL
Season result split
30% W30% D40% L
Season (W-D-L)
3-3-4
1.20 pts / match · goal difference +1
Last 5 (W-D-L)
2-2-1
1.60 pts / match
Record at home (W-D-L)
1-1-1
Last 5 at home
1-1-1
LDW
Last 5 matches - averages
Goals scored: 1.4Goals conceded: 1.0xG: 1.23Opponent xG: 1.21BTTS: 60%Over 2.5: 20%
Crusaders
WLWLL
Season result split
45% W0% D55% L
Season (W-D-L)
5-0-6
1.36 pts / match · goal difference -6
Last 5 (W-D-L)
2-0-3
1.20 pts / match
Record away (W-D-L)
1-0-4
Last 5 away
1-0-4
LWLLL
Last 5 matches - averages
Goals scored: 1.0Goals conceded: 1.8xG: 0.73Opponent xG: 1.25BTTS: 20%Over 2.5: 80%

Goals— how do both teams score and concede?

How many goals both teams score and concede, plus how often they keep a clean sheet or fail to score.

Ballymena United is 10% better for: goals scored per match.

1.5 goals / match - Ballymena United · 1.36 goals / match - Crusaders

Ballymena United is 36% better for: goals conceded per match.

1.4 goals / match - Ballymena United · 1.91 goals / match - Crusaders

Ballymena United scoring profile: very strong

Ballymena United scores in 90% of matches (9 of 10 matches), while Crusaders keeps a clean sheet in 9% (1 of 11 matches).

Crusaders scoring profile: strong

Crusaders scores in 73% of matches (8 of 11 matches), while Ballymena United keeps a clean sheet in 30% (3 of 10 matches).

15Goals scored (season)15
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
14Goals conceded (season)21
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
2.9Average goals in match3.27
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
7Goals scored (last 5)5
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
5Goals conceded (last 5)9
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

How often they score at least...

90%1 goal73%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%2 goals45%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
10%3 goals18%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0%4 goals0%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

How often they concede at least...

70%1 goal91%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%2 goals55%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
20%3 goals27%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0%4 goals18%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

* Statistics include both teams' home and away matches in the current season.

Both teams scored (BTTS)— how often do both teams score?

How often both teams' matches have goals on both sides, compared with the league average.

47%
League average

Goal patterns

30%BTTS at half-time9%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0%BTTS in both halves0%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
10%Scored in both halves27%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

BTTS and goal count

40%Min. 3 goals and BTTS64%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
10%Min. 3 goals without BTTS27%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
60%BTTS - last 520%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

Goal count (Over/Under)— how often do these matches cross the goal lines?

How often matches involving these teams clear goal thresholds, in the full match and in each half.

1st half

60%Min. 1 goal before half-time82%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%Min. 2 goals before half-time27%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
20%Min. 3 goals before half-time18%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

2nd half

80%Min. 1 goal after half-time91%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
70%Min. 2 goals after half-time82%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
10%Min. 3 goals after half-time27%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

Match halves— when do the teams score more often?

How teams split performance between first and second half: goals, points, clean sheets and half-time state.

Ballymena United is 10% better for: first-half form (half-time points).

1.4 pts / match - Ballymena United · 1.27 pts / match - Crusaders

Ballymena United - half-time state
30% leading50% draw20% trailing
Crusaders - half-time state
36% leading18% draw45% trailing

Before half-time (1st half)

1.4Points per match (1st half)1.27
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0.7Goals scored (1st half)0.55
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0.6Goals conceded (1st half)0.73
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.3Average goals (1st half)1.27
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
60%Clean sheet before half-time45%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%No goal before half-time64%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

After half-time (2nd half)

1.5Points per match (2nd half)0.82
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0.8Goals scored (2nd half)0.82
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
0.8Goals conceded (2nd half)1.18
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
1.6Average goals (2nd half)2
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%Clean sheet after half-time18%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders
50%No goal after half-time36%
Ballymena UnitedCrusaders

Ballymena United - second-half results

40% W30% D30% L
14
Half-time points
7
Half-time goals
+1
Goal difference (1st half)
15
Second-half points
0
Goal difference (2nd half)
1.40
PPG before half-time
Lead holding100%

Leads at half-time in 30% of matches and wins 30%. Also wins matches without a half-time lead.

Defence after half-time+0.2

Concedes 0.2 more goals per match after half-time - defensive level drops in the second half.

Crusaders - second-half results

9% W55% D36% L
14
Half-time points
6
Half-time goals
-2
Goal difference (1st half)
9
Second-half points
-4
Goal difference (2nd half)
1.27
PPG before half-time
Lead holding125%

Leads at half-time in 36% of matches and wins 45%. Also wins matches without a half-time lead.

Defence after half-time+0.4

Concedes 0.4 more goals per match after half-time - defensive level drops in the second half.

Ballymena United - last 5 matches by half
1st half2nd half
Points per match1.401.60
Goals scored / match0.60.8
Goals conceded / match0.40.6
Average goals in match1.01.4
1 goal40%80%
2 goals40%60%
3 goals20%0%
Clean sheet60%60%
No goal60%40%
Goal difference+1+1
Half-time: 20% leading - 80% draw - 0% trailing
2nd half: 40% won - 40% draw - 20% lost
BTTS at half-time (last 5): 40% - Half-time goals total: 3
Crusaders - last 5 matches by half
1st half2nd half
Points per match1.000.80
Goals scored / match0.20.8
Goals conceded / match0.41.4
Average goals in match0.62.2
1 goal60%100%
2 goals0%80%
3 goals0%40%
Clean sheet60%20%
No goal80%60%
Goal difference-1-3
Half-time: 20% leading - 40% draw - 40% trailing
2nd half: 20% won - 20% draw - 60% lost
BTTS at half-time (last 5): 0% - Half-time goals total: 1

* Colours in tables show event frequency: green is common, yellow is moderate, red is rare. It is frequency, not a team rating.

Goals by minute— when do goals arrive?

Match phases in which both teams most often score and concede.

Ballymena United
ScoredConceded
5
1
0-15
1
1
16-30
1
4
31-45
4
4
46-60
2
0
61-75
2
4
76-90

Most dangerous in minutes 0-15 (5 goals). Concedes most in 31-45 (4). Late-goal balance (76-90): -2 - late phases are a weakness.

Crusaders
ScoredConceded
1
6
0-15
2
1
16-30
3
1
31-45
1
7
46-60
2
4
61-75
6
2
76-90

Most dangerous in minutes 76-90 (6 goals). Concedes most in 46-60 (7). Late-goal balance (76-90): +4 - wins late phases.

* Buckets 31-45 and 76-90 include added-time goals.

Additional team indicators— what do xG, efficiency and form show?

A comparison of chance quality, results and trends based on completed matches from the current season.

Match profile

3.08
Estimated goals
attack vs opponent defence
1.7 : 1.4
Estimated goal split
home : away
114%
Pace vs league
100% = league average
62%
Both teams scored (BTTS)
average from both teams' seasons
+4%
Derby effect
H2H goals vs typical matches
66%
BTTS estimate
from both teams' scoring frequency
3%
0:0 risk
about 1 in 33 matches
2-3
Most common goal range
attack vs defence on both sides

Ballymena United

Net xG balance
Difference between the quality of chances created and allowed per match.
-0.23
Results compared with xG
Difference between the actual goal balance and the balance suggested by xG.
+0.33
Points compared with goal balance
Comparison between collected points and the points implied by the team's goal balance.
-4.0 pts
Finishing efficiency
Does the team convert chances? Positive means it scores more than the quality of chances suggests.
+0.35
Defensive efficiency
Does the defence or goalkeeper save the team? Positive means it concedes less than the chances allowed suggest.
-0.02
Attack vs league
How much the team scores compared with the league average for this role. 120% means 20% above average.
112%
Defence vs league
How much the team concedes compared with the league average. 80% means 20% fewer goals conceded.
102%
Form trend
Compares points from the last 5 matches with the whole-season average.
+0.40
Stronger second half?
How many more goals the team scores after half-time than before it.
+0.1
Late goals
13% of this team's goals come in minutes 76-90. For comparison, 33% come in the first quarter-hour.
13%

Crusaders

Net xG balance
Difference between the quality of chances created and allowed per match.
-0.50
Results compared with xG
Difference between the actual goal balance and the balance suggested by xG.
-0.05
Points compared with goal balance
Comparison between collected points and the points implied by the team's goal balance.
+3.9 pts
Finishing efficiency
Does the team convert chances? Positive means it scores more than the quality of chances suggests.
+0.41
Defensive efficiency
Does the defence or goalkeeper save the team? Positive means it concedes less than the chances allowed suggest.
-0.46
Attack vs league
How much the team scores compared with the league average for this role. 120% means 20% above average.
99%
Defence vs league
How much the team concedes compared with the league average. 80% means 20% fewer goals conceded.
143%
Form trend
Compares points from the last 5 matches with the whole-season average.
-0.16
Stronger second half?
How many more goals the team scores after half-time than before it.
+0.3
Late goals
40% of this team's goals come in minutes 76-90. For comparison, 7% come in the first quarter-hour.
40%

* The estimated goal total and split, BTTS estimate, 0:0 risk and goal range are calculated from public season averages and frequencies for both teams. This is a statistical match profile, not a private model prediction or betting pick. The remaining indicators describe completed matches from the season.

League context— is this a high-scoring league?

How both teams compare with league-wide averages (NIFL Premiership).

Teams vs league

Ballymena UnitedLigaCrusaders
Average goals in match▲ 2.902.71▲ 3.27
Both teams scored▲ 60%47%▲ 64%
Min. 3 goals (Over 2.5)▼ 50%52%▲ 91%
Clean sheets▲ 30%28%▼ 9%
Goal before half-time▼ 60%69%▲ 82%
Goal after half-time▼ 80%84%▲ 91%

^ green = above league average, ˇ red = below league average. This shows direction of the gap, not a team rating.

2.71
Average goals per match
47%
Both teams scored
52%
Min. 3 goals (Over 2.5)
28%
Clean sheets
1.34
Home goals / match
1.37
Away goals / match
+-2%
Home attack advantage
+-2%
Home defence advantage
+7%
Total home advantage
Goals in 1st half (whole league)
69%
1 goal
34%
2 goals
13%
3 goals
3%
4 goals
Goals in 2nd half (whole league)
84%
1 goal
52%
2 goals
15%
3 goals
0%
4 goals

Head-to-head

Recent meetings (5): Ballymena United 1 - 2 - 2 Crusaders. Average goals 3.20, both teams scored in 80% matches.

FAQ

When do Ballymena United and Crusaders play?

Ballymena United face Crusaders on 17 October 2026 in NIFL Premiership at The Showgrounds. The exact kick-off time in your timezone is shown at the top of the match page.

What is the head-to-head record between Ballymena United and Crusaders?

In the last 5 head-to-head matches Ballymena United won 1, Crusaders won 2 and 2 ended level. These games averaged 3.20 goals, with both teams scoring in 80% of them.

What do the goal statistics show before Ballymena United vs Crusaders?

Ballymena United score 1.50 goals per game on average and Crusaders 1.36. The NIFL Premiership average is 2.71 goals, with Over 2.5 landing in 52% of games. Both teams score in 60% of Ballymena United's matches and 64% of Crusaders's.

What form are Ballymena United and Crusaders in?

Over the last 5 games Ballymena United have a 2-2-1 record (1.60 points per game) and Crusaders 2-0-3 (1.20 points per game).

Where can I find a betting tip and analysis for Ballymena United vs Crusaders?

The statistical background for Ballymena United vs Crusaders — form, head-to-head, goals, BTTS and Over/Under — is on this page. The tip with full reasoning and a value assessment is in the NoFluffPicks app.