Osasuna Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad slip away with three points as Osasuna give rounding send off to Copa del Rey finalists

From El Sadar

Party atmosphere would perhaps be the wrong words to describe El Sadar ahead of their final home match before the Copa del Rey final in eight days time, although some are partial ear-splitting noise and different groups trying to drown each other out with their singing. This bunch are amongst them.

Hosts Osasuna had a difficult task staying focused on their task ahead of the match, with Barcelona a distraction ahead of Real Madrid next weekend. But they knew three points would take them seventh – enough for European football if they do lose the final.

La Real on the other hand are ‘simply trying to finish as high as possible’ according to manager Imanol Alguacil – a win would be enough to open up an eight-point gap to Villarreal in fifth ahead of their match though.

It looked as if it was heading in that direction after just six minutes; David Silva slipping Ander Barrenetxea down the ledt side of the box, with the resulting cross turned into his own net by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

The home side did eventually settle, playing more of the game in the La Real half. But their first big chance came from Alex Remiro, who couldn’t deal with a cross. When Aridane pulled it back for Kike Garcia, he could not shape it towards a goal with only defenders in it.

Herrera lived on the edge again, nearly conceding a goal through  a Mohamed Ali Cho interception in his own six yard box, but he did redeem himself via a good save from Cho five minutes before the half. It looked as if the maturing Osasuna pressure would have reward when both Iker Munoz and Aridane went down in the box, but after a lengthy VAR review, it was the La Real fans making the noise – something they had been consistent in, to their credit.

Osasuna had El Sadar singing to their beat just five minutes into the second period though, Garcia nodding over a Ruben Pena shot from close range. Aimar Oroz did the same as it became evident their reshuffle was beneficial. Waves of Osasuna coming through the stands materialised into attacks, guided by Moi Gomez, now at the base of midfield.

Fixture congestion (described as s*** for the fans and the players by Alguacil) is forcing managers into new solutions, and Jagoba Arrasate probably hadn’t planned having Jon Moncayola at right-back, and 20-year-old Iker Munoz in midfield at the start of the season, but for a spell it worked – the youngster with a particularly cool performance in front of the defence.

When Alguacil adjusted and put Takefusa Kubo and Alexander Sorloth on, it was check on the chess board though – only a Sergio Herrera miracle-save and the post stopped the Sorloth and Oyarzabal combination from producing goals. The Txuri-Urdin looked content with a certain composed passiveness, as if lulling Osasuna in before the kill.

Los Rojillo threw on Ante Budimir, Chimy Avila and Ruben Garcia in attack, hoping to change the game, but were dogged by the duvet problem – stretching La Real meant leaving themselves a little too bare at the back.

Time ticked all too quickly for Los Rojillo, who never built the same momentum they managed early in the second period, and while La Real were always favourites, another night might have included more frustration. Right now their heroes will be forgiven everything though – they have a final to play. That much was clear from the again eardrum crunching racket in stoppage time.

Countless times this season that kill has not arrived, with La Real suffocating themselves. You wondered if it might cost them at times, but as they head to face Real Madrid themselves, they look on track for the top four. Kubo rounded the night off for lung-busting La Real fans, firing in at the near post past Herrera in the final minutes.

A short trip home for Alguacil and his marching band, Osasuna are already thinking about not their next game, but the one in Seville. And both sets of fans were in full voice in the loudest ‘good luck’ you’re likely to hear.

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