Osasuna 2 - Rayo Vallecano 2

Osasuna: Nuno; Alfonso (Armentano 73'), Yanguas, Cruchaga, Mateo, Ibán Pérez (Moha 68'); Alex (Alfredo 46'), Angel, Palacios; Sabino, Iván Rosado. 5-3-2.
Rayo: Lopetegui; Alcázar, De Quintana, Ballesteros, Mingo; Glaucio (Pablo Sanz 65'), Quevedo, Helder, Poschner; Michel (Setvalls 55'); Bolo. 4-4-1-1.

Team changes: Osasuna: Alfonso, Palacios for Aitor Ocio, Lekumberri / Rayo: Glaucio for Cembranos.

Goals:
1-0. 14. Sabino. Shot beneath keeper after taking ball off Helder.
1-1. 35. Quevedo. Beat keeper to ball after pass from Glaucio on right.
1-2. 59. Bolo (penalty). After Iván Rosado brought down Quevedo.
2-2. 78. Armentano. Headed in a corner from Angel on right.

A fair result at the Sadar stadium, with both sides having moments of domination, but in the end sharing four goals and coming away with a point apiece. With Rayo now having gone six games this season without defeat, and Osasuna picking up a good away win at Espanyol last week, neither manager wanted to make any changes other than those forced upon them. Osasuna's manager Lotina was missing the injured Aitor Ocio and left out Lekumberri, with Alfonso coming in at right wing back and popular club captain Palacios returning for the first time this season after an operation in June. Rayo were without the injured Luis Cembranos, and although there was speculation that Michel would switch to play in his spot behind Bolo, in the end it was Mami Quevedo who changed, with Glaucio coming in to his position on the right of midfield.

Quevedo is a versatile player recently signed from Sevilla, and after playing in the middle of defence earlier this season, he looked equally at home up front. In fact he scored his side's first goal (albeit in an arguably offside position), and provoked a penalty for the second, which took Rayo into a momentary 1-2 lead. Earlier the home side had opened the scoring when Sabino took the ball off Helder and slotted it under Lopetegui, and although the Rayo players validly claimed a foul by the Osasuna striker, referee 'not so' Bueno Grimal ignored their pleas and awarded the goal.

With Rayo in charge towards the end of the first half, Lotina succumbed to the crowd's wishes and brought on Alfredo. That sparked off Osasuna, and Lopetegui had to save twice from ex Rayo player Iván Rosado and Sabino early in the second half. However Rosado demonstrated that his heart is still in Madrid, gifting Rayo a penalty with a tackle on Quevedo which Bolo converted. Another Osasuna substitution, this time Armentano, began a second revival, and after Lopetegui got the better of the Argentinian in a one-on-one, the striker got his own back with a powerful header from Angel's corner. Rayo go in to their UEFA cup match on Thursday with their spirits high, holding on to their unbeaten record in seventh place. Osasuna, who have yet to win at home, must be ruing their defensive errors, but with four points they are still in midtable at the moment.