Alaves vs Osasuna: Late Penalty Secures 2-2 Draw in La Liga
Alaves snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw against Osasuna at Estadio Mendizorrotza, with a 90+1 minute penalty from Lucas Boyé rescuing a vital point in this La Liga regular-season clash that had major implications in the survival battle and the mid-table picture.
Osasuna, sitting 11th and eyeing the European qualification battle, struck first and early. With just 4 minutes played, V. Rosier surged forward from right-back and finished clinically to silence the home crowd and give the visitors a 1-0 lead. It was the perfect start for Alessio Lisci’s side, who looked sharper in the opening exchanges.
Rosier’s evening, however, quickly became more complicated. On 16 minutes he went into the book for tripping, the first of a flurry of Osasuna fouls that would later cost them dearly. The visitors’ aggressive approach continued, and at 41 minutes J. Moncayola was also shown a yellow card for handling, moments before the game turned.
That same minute, Alaves midfielder A. Blanco was cautioned for a foul, but he responded in the best possible way just three minutes later. In the 44th minute, T. Martinez scored, assisted by A. Blanco, as the forward finished a well-worked move to level the match at 1-1. The goal reflected Alaves’ growing control, their 4-4-2 starting to pin Osasuna back after a sluggish start.
Half-Time Adjustments
At half-time, with the game finely poised and Alaves desperate for points to edge away from the relegation dogfight, Quique Sanchez Flores moved decisively. At 46 minutes, C. Alena came on for J. Guridi, adding creativity between the lines. Simultaneously, A. Rebbach came on for Yusi, injecting more direct threat on the flank.
Osasuna responded with a change of their own on the hour mark. At 60 minutes, V. Munoz came on for K. Barja, offering fresh legs in the attacking midfield line as Lisci sought to regain control of possession. The visitors, who would finish with 52% of the ball and a slightly better passing accuracy (82% to Alaves’ 81%), tried to reassert their technical superiority.
Alaves continued to tweak their shape. In the 73rd minute, A. Guevara came on for I. Diabate, a move that bolstered the midfield and suggested Sanchez Flores was wary of Osasuna’s growing presence in central areas. The match tightened, with both sides struggling to create clear chances despite Alaves’ higher shot volume.
Late Drama
Osasuna then unleashed a triple substitution at 77 minutes, reshaping their spine. A. Bretones came on for R. Garcia, I. Munoz came on for L. Torro, and R. Garcia came on for A. Oroz. The fresh legs immediately tilted the momentum, and just three minutes later the visitors were back in front.
In the 80th minute, A. Budimir scored from the penalty spot, sending Antonio Sivera the wrong way to make it 2-1 to Osasuna. It was a ruthless conversion from the Croatian forward, capitalising on one of Osasuna’s eight total shots, five of which were on target and forced three saves from Sivera.
Alaves, now staring at a damaging defeat that would have left them even more entangled in the survival battle, responded again from the bench. At 81 minutes, L. Boye came on for P. Ibanez, a substitution that would prove decisive in stoppage time.
The tension escalated in the closing stages. F. Boyomo was booked in the 87th minute, and A. Catena followed with a yellow card for roughing on 90 minutes as Osasuna tried to disrupt Alaves’ late pressure. But deep into added time, the hosts found their lifeline.
In the 90+1 minute, L. Boye scored from the spot, holding his nerve to level at 2-2 and ignite Mendizorrotza. The late equaliser rewarded Alaves’ attacking intent — they finished with 18 total shots, 6 on goal, and 13 efforts from inside the box, underpinned by an expected_goals figure of 2.04.
The drama was not over. In the 90+3 minute, A. Osambela was shown a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct, reducing Osasuna to ten men and capping a fractious finish. Two more yellow cards followed at 90+4, A. Perez booked for Alaves and I. Munoz cautioned for Osasuna, both for unsportsmanlike conduct as tempers boiled over.
Statistically, Osasuna’s 1.3 expected_goals and five shots on target were matched by five saves from Sergio Herrera, who kept the visitors in front until stoppage time. Both sides registered three blocked shots, reflecting the intensity of the duels in both penalty areas.
In the table, Alaves move to 33 points from 31 games, with goals for rising to 34 and goals against to 45, keeping them 15th but marginally strengthening their survival prospects. Osasuna, now on 38 points from 30 matches, with 36 goals for and 37 against, remain 11th — still on the fringes of the European qualification battle, but left to rue a lead surrendered in the final moments.
