On 4 January, one of the matches of the 19th round of the Spanish football championship took place. Osasuna (Pamplona) and Almeria (Spain) met.
Spanish Championship, 19th round
Osasuna (Pamplona) - Almeria (Spain) - 1:0 ( 1:0)
Goals: Ante Budimir (27)
Warnings: Lucas Robertone (29), Chumi (75)
In a thrilling La Liga match at El Sadar Stadium, Osasuna managed to secure a 1-0 victory over Almeria. At the start of the game, both teams showed off their attacking prowess in an attempt to gain possession. The first notable incident occurred in the 14th minute when Osasuna made the first substitution. C. Avila came on in place of J.M. Arnaiz, which gave fresh energy to the Osasuna team. As the match progressed, Osasuna started to prove their superiority. In the 27th minute Osasuna snatched victory thanks to a great goal by A. Budimir. The home crowd was jubilant to see that their team had taken the lead. However, Almeria were not going to give up without a fight. On 29 minutes L. Robertone received a yellow card, showing Almeria's determination to fight back. At half-time the score remained 1-0 in favour of Osasuna, which was the key to an exciting second half. At the start of the second half, Almeria tried to turn the tide of the match by making two substitutions. L. Ramazani replaced M. Milovanovic in the 46th minute, while S. Arribas came on in place of A. Pozo. Both teams continued to make strategic substitutions to further improve their chances of victory. In the 60th minute, Almeria introduced M. Pubilla into the game, replacing Chumi, to boost their attack. In the 70th minute, Almeria made a fourth substitution, with A. Embarba replacing Lazaro.
The visitors were determined to equalise and salvage a point, while Osasuna were keen to maintain their advantage and secure victory. In the 74th minute, A. Budimir, who scored the goal, was replaced by Raul. The Osasuna coach also made another substitution: J. Moncayola replaced P. Ibáñez, introducing fresh energy into the midfield. As time ticked away towards the end of the match, Almeria's frustration became more and more evident. In the 75th minute, Tschumi received a yellow card, further complicating his quest to equalise. In the 82nd minute, both teams made significant substitutions. Almeria's A. Puigmal was replaced by E. Gonzalez, while Osasuna's R. Peña replaced J. Cruz. Each team hoped that these changes would change the course of the match in their favour. The last substitution for Osasuna came in the 82nd minute when J. Areso replaced N. Vidal in an attempt to strengthen the defence and consolidate a small advantage. Tensions mounted in the final minutes of the match, leading to a yellow card for Osasuna's A. Catena in the 89th minute. Despite Almeria's best efforts, Osasuna managed to hold a 1-0 lead until the final whistle. Both teams showed great skill and determination and did not give up throughout the match. As a result, Osasuna gained a valuable three points in La Liga, while Almeria were left to reflect on their missed opportunities. For the fans, it was an exciting encounter that demonstrated the unpredictable nature of football.
The following matches await the rivals in the next round: Barcelona - Osasuna, Almeria - Girona.
| Osasuna | Almeria | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kicks to the goal | 0 |
| 14 | Strikes | 4 |
| 2 | Blocked shots | 2 |
| 12 | Penalty kicks | 3 |
| 2 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 1 |
| 14 | Offences | 5 |
| 4 | Corner | 4 |
| 0 | Offsides | 3 |
| 52% | Ball possession | 48% |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 0 | Keeper saves | 1 |
| 512 | Total assists | 471 |
| 419 | Accurate assists | 369 |
| 82% | Accuracy of passes | 78% |