Osasuna 3 : 2 Sevilla - Osasuna hit back for stunning win

Posted Wednesday, May 11, 2011 by PA

Osasuna staged a sensational second-half recovery to earn a 3-2 victory over high-flying Sevilla that could go a long way to ensuring they will be playing Primera Division football again next season.

Osasuna, who started the day just two points above the relegation zone, looked set for a potentially costly defeat as Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo netted two headers in a three-minute spell to put his side 2-0 up at half-time.

However, Osasuna gave themselves a lifeline when Kike Sola pulled a goal back seconds after the break, and then in a remarkable late onslaught the Pamplona-based side struck twice in the final three minutes through Sola and Dejan Lekic to take the points.

The victory means Osasuna now boast a five-point lead over the bottom three heading into their last two matches against Getafe and Villarreal.

For Sevilla, who finished the match with 10 men following Gary Medel`s injury-time sending off, the defeat means they missed the chance to leap-frog Athletic Bilbao into fifth but are still in the Europa League spots.

A hugely entertaining encounter looked to be Sevilla`s for the taking after Negredo and Diego Perotti combined twice midway through the first half to put the visitors two goals to the good.

The first goal, which arrived in the 26th minute, saw Negredo get on the end of Perotti`s free-kick and power a header just inside the far post.

Then, three minutes later, Negredo was in the right place to send a diving header into the net after Perotti`s curling cross had come back off the inside of the far post with Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez beaten.

Things were looking bad for Osasuna at that point, but they almost pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when the inspirational Javier Camunas saw a close-range shot was saved by Javi Varas.

A bad first half got worse for Osasuna just before the break when full-back Marcos Nelson was stretchered off with a serious-looking ankle injury.

Whatever was said at half-time had the desired effect, though, as Osasuna pulled a goal back with less than a minute gone in the second half.

Camunas sent over a low cross from the near the goalline and Sola got in front of his marker to prod the ball past Varas at the near post.

Backed by a partisan crowd at the Reyno de Navarra stadium, Osasuna then went in search of an equaliser and - whilst keeping Sevilla at bay at one end - went close through Camunas, Sola (twice) and Sergio Fernandez.

But just when it looked as though Osasuna would get no reward for their efforts, they fashioned not only an equaliser but also a remarkable late winner as well.

With 87 minutes on the clock they drew level when Alvaro Cejudo played in Sola who slotted in his seventh goal in 14 games inside Varas` near post.

Osasuna striker Walter Pandiani then flashed a shot inches wide before the hosts netted their winner.

Camunas got on the end of a long ball forward down the left and, ignoring a flailing elbow that left him with nasty cut by his eye, raced into the box before laying the ball back to substitute Lekic who slotted home.

There was no way back for shellshocked Sevilla after that, and the visitors would end up with 10 men after Medel was shown a second yellow card in the closing stages.