Los Rojillos had endured a dip in form in recent weeks, with a 1-1 stalemate to relegation threatened Girona last time out being another frustrating result. Jagoba Arrasate’s men had the chance to put their season back on track here and breezed past the deep 5-3-2 formation employed by Valladolid with little difficulty early on. Just seconds after a goal was disallowed, Roque Mesa’s clumsy challenge on Manu Sánchez saw the referee point to the spot on 13 minutes. Chimy Ávila, who was at the heart of everything positive from the hosts, subsequently tucked the penalty away with help from the post.
A thoroughly dominant first-half display saw the hosts double their lead soon after, with Moi Gómez grabbing his first goal of the campaign, when he took a touch to compose himself inside the area before slotting past Jordi Masip. The visitors searched for a response, but they were forced to sit through a footballing clinic as Osasuna carved open their defence at will, leaving Valladolid feeling fortunate that they were not further in arrears at the interval.
With no side winning fewer away games when they last featured in Spain’s top-flight back in 2020/21, Valladolid’s chances of success seemed microscopic at best. Yet, they did show some improvements in the second period, forcing the ‘García’ duo in Osasuna’s defence into action on several occasions, though it was Arrasate’s charges who still looked the more threatening unit in the final third, and Masip had to be alert once again to thwart Ante Budimir just before the hour mark.
A fired-up Osasuna never looked satisfied with their lead, and continued to drive furiously at their visitors in the closing stages, with substitute Kike García, inexplicably firing straight at Masip from 12 yards out despite having all the time in the world. And whilst a powerless Pucela may have succeeded in keeping the scoreline respectable, their opponents superiority left them unable to mount any kind of comeback as they suffered their first top-flight loss on Osasuna turf since 2001.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Chimy Ávila (CA Osasuna)
