The trajectory is descriptive, not a forecast or evidence of predictive advantage. Explanations are limited to the observations actually available.
Two matches can share the same score and still be moving in opposite directions. A 1-1 game may be settling into a controlled finish, or it may be opening up as both teams create chances. The score alone cannot show that difference.
What the index measures
The Live Performance Index is a descriptive match-state score. It combines the attacking pressure a team is producing with the resistance it is showing without the ball. The trajectory is recalculated as the live evidence changes.
- Attack pressure from the current match flow and recent pressure windows.
- Defensive resistance from the opponent pressure a team is absorbing or limiting.
- Direction of travel across the latest live states, rather than one isolated snapshot.
- Read the trajectory alongside score and minute; pressure at 20 minutes and 82 minutes may have different match context. This does not mean the index directly uses the score as a formula input.
What it is not
The index is not a win probability and it is not an odds edge. Win probabilities remain a separate market read. The index explains performance shape: who is pushing, who is resisting, and whether the balance is changing.
How it supports the match read
A useful explanation should do more than repeat the score. Where supported observations exist, pressure shifts and changes in attacking activity can help describe the trajectory. Missing observations must remain unavailable; the explanation must not claim evidence that was not recorded.
Use the trajectory to understand match direction, then read it beside the live probability, current bookmaker odds, score, minute, and supporting evidence.