Watford vs Preston

8 September 2026 · Championship · 2026/27 · Referee Farai Hallam

Full time 2 – 1

Half-time: 0–1

  • Edo Kayembe 69’
  • Mamadou Doumbia 76’
  • Callum Lang 5’

Match summary

Watford came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Preston. Preston led 1-0 at half-time.

Callum Lang put Preston ahead from a corner in the 5th minute, Edo Kayembe equalised in the 69th minute, and Mamadou Doumbia won it with a header in the 76th minute.

Preston can feel hard done by, creating 2.48 expected goals (xG) from 18 shots to Watford's 1.26 from 15.

Match stats

61% Possession 39%
15 Shots 18
5 Shots on target 6
2 Corners 4
92 Attacks 75
39 Dangerous attacks 31
526 Passes 319
82.9% Pass accuracy 76.2%
8 Tackles 16
7 Fouls 10
0 Yellow cards 2
2 Offsides 1

Key events

Watford Preston
Kick-off
Rocco VataShot on target
2’
5’
Callum LangRight foot shot0-1 (Preston)
5’
Jordan ThompsonShot on target
19’
Callum LangShot on target
Edo KayembeShot on target
21’
32’
Alfie DevineShot on target
Half-time0-1
Iker BravoMartín Payero
46’
Stephy MavididiAmin Nabizada
46’
Othmane MaammaRocco Vata
46’
Second half underway
58’
Harry ClarkeShot on target
Jordan ZemuraOmar Haktab Traore
61’
62’
Andrija VukčevićFoul
66’
Stanley MillsAndrija Vukčević
66’
Delano BurgzorgJohnny Kenny
67’
Lewis GibsonFoul
Edo KayembeLeft foot shot1-1 (Watford)
69’
73’
Delano BurgzorgShot on target
75’
Liam GibbsLeo Leroy
75’
Jusef ErabiCallum Lang
Mamadou DoumbiaHeader2-1 (Watford)
76’
82’
Thierry SmallAlfie Devine
Luca KjerrumgaardMamadou Doumbia
88’
Iker BravoShot on target
90+4’
Full-time2-1

How the chances added up

Running total of expected goals (xG) for each side through the match. xG rates each chance by how often similar shots are scored. A goal is marked where it was scored.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 1.26 2.48 5’ Callum Lang (Preston), 0-1 5’ 69’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), 1-1 69’ 76’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), 2-1 76’ 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 1.26 2.48 5’ Callum Lang (Preston), 0-1 Lang 5’ 69’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), 1-1 Kayembe 69’ 76’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), 2-1 Doumbia 76’
Watford 1.26 xGPreston 2.48 xG Goal

Tap a goal for the scorer and score.

Shot map

Every shot and where it was taken from.

 Preston attacking Watford attacking 
5’ Callum Lang (Preston), from a corner, 0.90 xG, goal 19’ Callum Lang (Preston), open play, 0.37 xG, saved 90+2’ Jusef Erabi (Preston), set piece, 0.34 xG, blocked 42’ Kévin Keben Biakolo (Watford), set piece, 0.26 xG, off target 69’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.22 xG, goal 76’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), open play, 0.21 xG, goal 73’ Callum Lang (Preston), open play, 0.12 xG, off target 74’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.13 xG, off target 13’ Alfie Devine (Preston), open play, 0.10 xG, off target 58’ Harry Clarke (Preston), open play, 0.10 xG, saved 33’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 47’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), set piece, 0.08 xG, blocked 55’ Matthew Pollock (Watford), set piece, 0.07 xG, off target 81’ Delano Burgzorg (Preston), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 2’ Rocco Vata (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, saved 53’ Harry Clarke (Preston), set piece, 0.06 xG, off target 18’ Amin Nabizada (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, blocked 45’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, off target 73’ Delano Burgzorg (Preston), open play, 0.06 xG, saved 89’ Jusef Erabi (Preston), set piece, 0.06 xG, blocked 27’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.05 xG, blocked 5’ Jordan Thompson (Preston), from a corner, 0.04 xG, saved 49’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 32’ Alfie Devine (Preston), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 16’ Omar Haktab Traore (Watford), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 90+4’ Iker Bravo (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, saved 41’ Amin Nabizada (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 5’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 29’ Leo Leroy (Preston), open play, 0.02 xG, off target 79’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, off target 21’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.01 xG, saved 38’ Rocco Vata (Watford), open play, 0.01 xG, off target 47’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.01 xG, off target 5’ Callum Lang (Preston), from a corner, 0.90 xG, goal 19’ Callum Lang (Preston), open play, 0.37 xG, saved 90+2’ Jusef Erabi (Preston), set piece, 0.34 xG, blocked 42’ Kévin Keben Biakolo (Watford), set piece, 0.26 xG, off target 69’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.22 xG, goal 76’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), open play, 0.21 xG, goal 73’ Callum Lang (Preston), open play, 0.12 xG, off target 74’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.13 xG, off target 13’ Alfie Devine (Preston), open play, 0.10 xG, off target 58’ Harry Clarke (Preston), open play, 0.10 xG, saved 81’ Delano Burgzorg (Preston), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 33’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.08 xG, blocked 47’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), set piece, 0.08 xG, blocked 55’ Matthew Pollock (Watford), set piece, 0.07 xG, off target 2’ Rocco Vata (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, saved 53’ Harry Clarke (Preston), set piece, 0.06 xG, off target 45’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, off target 89’ Jusef Erabi (Preston), set piece, 0.06 xG, blocked 18’ Amin Nabizada (Watford), open play, 0.06 xG, blocked 73’ Delano Burgzorg (Preston), open play, 0.06 xG, saved 27’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.05 xG, blocked 5’ Jordan Thompson (Preston), from a corner, 0.04 xG, saved 49’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 32’ Alfie Devine (Preston), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 16’ Omar Haktab Traore (Watford), open play, 0.03 xG, off target 90+4’ Iker Bravo (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, saved 41’ Amin Nabizada (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 5’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.02 xG, blocked 29’ Leo Leroy (Preston), open play, 0.02 xG, off target 79’ Mamadou Doumbia (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, off target 21’ Edo Kayembe (Watford), open play, 0.01 xG, saved 38’ Rocco Vata (Watford), open play, 0.01 xG, off target 47’ Johnny Kenny (Preston), open play, 0.01 xG, off target
Size shows xG Goal On target Off target or blocked

Hover or tap a shot for the player, minute and xG.

Lineups

Watford 4-2-3-1 Starting XI
Ravaglia
Biakolo
Pollock
Coulibaly
Traore 61’
Kayembe
Kyprianou
Vata 46’
Nabizada 46’
Payero 46’
Doumbia 88’
Preston 5-3-2 Starting XI
Iversen
Vukčević 66’
Storey
Gibson
Clarke
Offiah
Leroy 75’
Thompson
Devine 82’
Lang 75’
Kenny 66’

Player stats

Goalkeeper1 player
Federico Ravaglia
95′ 5 1 32 – – – – –
Defenders5 players
Kévin Keben Biakolo
95′ – – 1 1 1 54 – – – –
Matthew Pollock
95′ 1 1 2 4 3 66 – – – –
Soumaila Coulibaly
95′ – – 2 4 2 74 1 – – –
Omar Haktab Traore Taken off
61′ 1 1 – 4 2 30 – – – –
Jordan Zemura Came on as a substitute
34′ – – – 2 – 19 – – – –
Midfielders7 players
Edo Kayembe
95′ 1 – 48 2 – 1 – 4 – 1 –
Hector Kyprianou
95′ – – 44 1 – 1 2 3 1 – –
Amin Nabizada Taken off
45′ – – 26 – – 1 – 1 – – –
Martín Payero Taken off
45′ – – 21 1 – 1 – 1 1 – –
Rocco Vata Taken off
45′ – – 16 – – – – 1 – – –
Othmane Maamma Came on as a substitute
50′ – – 21 – – 1 1 7 – 2 –
Stephy Mavididi Came on as a substitute
50′ – – 22 – – – – 1 1 – –
Forwards3 players
Mamadou Doumbia Taken off
88′ 1 – 3 1 0.30 – 3 2 – 19 –
Iker Bravo Came on as a substitute
50′ – 1 1 1 0.02 – 1 3 2 30 –
Luca Kjerrumgaard Came on as a substitute
7′ – – – – – – 1 1 – 3 –
Came on Taken off Sent off Red is the most in that position for the team

Every player who took the pitch, starters first and then substitutes. A dash means none. xG and xA are expected goals and assists.

Before kick-off

Watford win 43% Avg odds 2.19
Draw 28% Avg odds 3.34
Preston win 29% Avg odds 3.23

Chances implied by the average closing odds, with the bookmaker margin removed.

Form going into the game

Watford WDDLL
Preston LLLLW

Last five league games before this one, oldest first. Select one to open it.

Previous and next meeting

 Previous meeting: Preston 2-2 Watford, 14 Feb 26 Next meeting: Preston vs Watford, 07 Apr 27 (upcoming)  All Watford vs Preston meetings

Shots, expected goals, timeline, lineups, team and player statistics from Bzzoiro Sports Data (sports.bzzoiro.com). Results and odds from football-data.co.uk.