Osasuna 2 - Villarreal 2

Osasuna: Unzué; Cruchaga, Jusué, Contreras; Yanguas (Rivero 84'), Puñal, Fernando; Palacios (Montenegro 70'), Alfredo, Gancedo; Aloisi (Armentano 84'). 3-3-3-1.
Villarreal: López Vallejo; Galván, Berruet (Calleja 55'), Ballesteros, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena; Jorge López, Galca, Cagna; Guayre, Pizzi. 5-3-2.

Team changes: Osasuna: Contreras, Yanguas, Gancedo for Josetxo, Izquierdo, Lekumberri / Villarreal: Galván, Berruet, Guayre for Xavi Roca, Calleja, Víctor.

Goals:
1-0. 02. Aloisi. From close range after Berruet clearance hit own post.
1-1. 24. Guayre. Took pass on half way line and ran on to shoot wide of keeper.
2-1. 43. Pizzi (own goal). Headed past own keeper from Gancedo free kick.
2-2. 60. Guayre. Took return pass from Pizzi to slide ball past keeper.

Osasuna and Villarreal, ended the day as they started it, level on 24 points in the lower half of the table, after drawing 2-2 in Pamplona. After seven games without a win, Villarreal manager Víctor Muñoz changed his formation back to the five man defence which he used so successfully last season, drafting in Spanish under-21 international Guayre up front alongside Pizzi in place of the injured Víctor. However the new line up got off to a bad start, Quique Alvarez and Berruet both messing up attempted clearances to leave John Aloisi free to score the first goal with only two minutes gone. Two minutes later Aloisi got the ball in the net again, but referee Pérez Lasa ruled it out for a borderline offside, and the Australian international went close again a couple of times more later in the half. The visitors drew level though on a rapid counterattack, Guayre picking up a ball just over the halfway line and racing past two defenders before beating Unzué with a fierce shot.

Two minutes before the interval Osasuna went back in front, Pizzi heading the ball past his own keeper after Palacios deflected Gancedo's free kick. It was the new signing's first goal, although it was not quite the way he would have liked. Muñoz reverted back to the more attacking formation, replacing a defender with Calleja shortly after the restart, and his side made it all square for the second time, Guayre once again showing his speed taking a return pass from Pizzi to slide the ball under Unzué. After that either side could have taken it, with López Vallejo saving well from Fernando at one end and Unzué keeping out Pizzi at the other. The point apiece means that both sides move up a place in the league, above struggling Zaragoza who drop below them on goal average.