Budimir Brace Lifts Osasuna to Crucial Victory

PAMPLONA, SPAIN — El Sadar witnessed a crucial turnaround as 16th-placed Osasuna secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Alavés, climbing within three points of their 12th-placed opponents in a match that remained goalless until the 72nd minute. The hosts' persistence finally paid dividends in the final quarter-hour, transforming mounting pressure into three vital points in their battle to climb away from the relegation zone.

The breakthrough arrived in the 72nd minute when Ante Budimir broke the deadlock with a clinical left-footed finish from the centre of the box. Aimar Oroz provided the crucial assist, threading a pass through the Alavés defence that Budimir swept home to the bottom left corner. The Croatian striker doubled his tally just nine minutes later from the penalty spot, converting with authority after Victor Parada was penalized for handball in the area. Budimir's left-footed strike nestled into the top right corner, giving Antonio Sivera no chance despite the goalkeeper's heroic efforts throughout the match. Deep into stoppage time, veteran Raúl García, who had entered as a substitute just moments earlier, added the gloss with a right-footed effort from the centre of the box that found the bottom left corner in the 93rd minute.

The tactical battle saw Osasuna gradually assert their dominance despite Alavés edging possession at 53.2%. Jon Moncayola and Lucas Torró controlled the midfield tempo for the hosts, while Alejandro Catena and Flavien Boyomo stood firm at the back. Antonio Sivera kept Alavés in contention with four crucial saves, denying Budimir twice from close range in the second half before finally being beaten. At the other end, Denis Suárez and Antonio Blanco struggled to create clear openings against Osasuna's organized defensive structure, with Sergio Herrera required to make just three saves.

Osasuna's attacking intent was reflected in the numbers, as they unleashed 16 shots compared to Alavés' seven and dominated set-piece opportunities with nine corners to none. The hosts' pressure yielded seven shots on target, with Budimir and Rubén García proving particularly threatening throughout. Despite the teams sharing possession almost equally at 46.8%-53.2%, Osasuna's clinical edge in the final third proved decisive.

The turning point arrived with Victor Parada's handball in the 80th minute, which gifted Osasuna the penalty that effectively sealed the contest. The defender's desperate attempt to block a goalbound effort only resulted in Budimir's second goal, deflating Alavés' hopes of salvaging a point. The physical nature of the encounter was evident with 27 fouls committed between the sides, and yellow cards shown to Abel Bretones, Alejandro Catena, Carles Aleñá, and Victor Parada as tensions rose in the closing stages.

Looking ahead, Alavés will host Real Oviedo on January 4 as they seek to bounce back from this setback and maintain their mid-table position.