First Division - Day 5

Osasuna 0 - Oviedo 0

Osasuna: Nuno; Mateo, Vidakovic, Yanguas, Cruchaga, Sena (Angel Luis 75'); Palacios, Angel, Alfredo; Sabino (Lekumberri 40'), Armentano (Iván Rosado 60'). 5-3-2.
Oviedo: Esteban; Keita, Danjou, Martinovic, Boris; Amieva (Rubén 65'), Onopko (Nadj 10'), Tomic, Iván Ania; Losada, Oli (Moller 75'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Osasuna: Sena, Palacios for Ibán Pérez, Lekumberri / Oviedo: None.

Goals: None.

On a wet and cold night in Pamplona, Osasuna and Oviedo played out a lifeless goal-less draw, one of four such results over the weekend in the first division. The match came to an end as a contest in the 26th minute, when referee Daudén Ibáñez sent off Osasuna defender Yanguas for simulating a dive in the penalty area, earning him a second yellow card. Up to that point the home side had come closest to scoring, with Armentano in particular missing the easiest of chances with the goal at his mercy. However with his team reduced to ten men, manager Lotina soon took off one of his forwards Sabino to put on another midfielder Lekumberri, and gave up on any pretext of attack.

Oviedo's manager Radomir Antic had kept the same line up he had used in the last three games, looking for his first point away from home in this campaign. He had to change his plans early on however, when his midfield general Onopko clashed heads with Angel and had to leave the field with a nasty cut on his forehead, Nadj coimng on in his place. That left a void in midfield, which the home side exploited to press down on the visitors goal. For the first few minutes Oviedo's keeper Esteban was once again the team's saviour, keeping out efforts from Palacios, Sabino and Mateo as well as Armentano. After the sending off it was the turn of Osasuna's keeper Nuno to shine, keeping out Losada's volley just before the break.

After the interval Osasuna hardly troubled the visitor's goal, with the only attacks coming from the feet of the Oviedo forwards. They were however incapable of scoring their first away goal of the season, and they had to settle with a point in the end. Osasuna had dropped their prices by 25% to attract fans to the match, but on this showing they will have to lower them further if they want anyone to turn up. Both clubs now have five points, and although they occupy 12th and 13th place, they are only a point above18th placed Mallorca. After the match Antic said that the sending off had gone against his side as the match was more open up to that point. Was Daudén right with his decision? Yanguas said he just slipped on the wet surface, but the disciplinary committee suspended him for one game anyway. As the player was injured into the bargain they didn't appeal, but the doubt still remains.

Results