CA Osasuna continued their impressive form with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Real Valladolid at Estadio El Sadar, courtesy of a first-half penalty from Ante Budimir. This narrow victory propels Vicente Moreno’s side into the top four of La Liga, albeit temporarily, while Real Valladolid, or Los Blanquivioletas, remain trapped near the bottom of the table, second from last.
Fresh off a confidence-boosting 2-0 win at Real Sociedad last week, Osasuna entered this match with visible momentum, asserting control early on. Bryan Zaragoza was a standout on the left wing, consistently threatening Valladolid's backline and keeping the visitors on their heels. Although Zaragoza wasn’t the one to find the net, Osasuna didn’t have to wait long for their breakthrough.
In the 22nd minute, a chaotic moment unfolded when Budimir's initial attempt was parried away by Valladolid’s Arsenal-loanee goalkeeper, Karl Hein. As Budimir went for the rebound, he was clumsily brought down by defender Luis Pérez, prompting a lengthy VAR review. After confirmation, Budimir calmly slotted home from the penalty spot, putting the home side up 1-0.
With the lead in hand, Osasuna kept up the pressure. Near the half-hour mark, Juan Cruz almost doubled the lead with a glancing header that skimmed across the face of the goal. Moments later, Aimar Oroz came close to adding his name to the scoresheet with two promising attempts. His first effort sailed just over the bar, while the second shot sent Hein scrambling to defend his near post, ultimately ricocheting into the side netting.
The Croatian forward Budimir, hungry for a sixth goal of the season, nearly struck again 10 minutes into the second half. Zaragoza’s precise pass set Budimir up with a golden chance, but his effort narrowly missed the target, brushing the outside of the post. Their chemistry was evident once more midway through the second half as Budimir received a low cross from Zaragoza, only to flick it wide of the mark.
Despite dominating possession, Osasuna struggled to find additional scoring opportunities as the game wore on. However, Real Valladolid posed little threat to the hosts, underscoring why they have managed just two wins from their 12 matches since returning to La Liga. With minimal offensive firepower and few shots on goal, Valladolid's performance underscored their ongoing struggles in the top flight.
In the end, Osasuna’s single goal proved sufficient to secure all three points. While Moreno's men revel in their ascent into the upper echelon of La Liga, Real Valladolid continue their battle to escape the relegation zone.
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