Nigerian Footballers Abroad

Umar Sadiq’s Heroics Earn Valencia a Point Against Osasuna

Valencia’s struggles on the road continued, but Umar Sadiq’s brilliance saved them from defeat in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Osasuna at El Sadar. Despite trailing 3-2 at the break after a chaotic defensive display, Sadiq’s late backheeled goal in the dying moments of the match earned Valencia a point. However, the draw did little to lift them out of the relegation zone, leaving coach Carlos Corberán with much work to do ahead of next Saturday’s crucial home fixture against bottom-placed club at Mestalla.

Valencia entered the match determined to break their poor run of form. Early attempts from Javi Guerra and Enzo Barrenechea, including a near-miss from Barrenechea’s close-range effort, showed their intent. However, Osasuna quickly regained control, and Valencia’s goalkeeper Diego López produced an unexpected moment of brilliance. López found himself one-on-one with Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, after a well-timed offside trap. López calmly evaded Herrera and slotted the ball into the net, much to the relief of Valencia’s travelling fans. The goal, confirmed by VAR, gave Valencia a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.

Valencia’s joy was short-lived, though, as Osasuna responded quickly. Their attack, led by Bryan Zaragoza, found a way through Valencia’s defence. Zaragoza’s cross found Aimar Oroz, who made no mistake with his finish, bringing the score to 1-1 in the 26th minute.

Despite conceding, Valencia fought back, exploiting the spaces in Osasuna’s high defensive line. Diego López delivered a clever ball into the box for Javi Guerra, whose left-footed strike put Valencia back in front at 2-1 in the 32nd minute. For a brief period, Valencia’s attacking play seemed to click, but their defensive frailties quickly resurfaced. Osasuna capitalised on a lapse in concentration as Aimar Oroz’s unmarked shot found the back of the net, making it 2-2 in the 38th minute.

The final blow came just before half-time when Valencia’s José Mosquera conceded a penalty on Rubén García. Ante Budimir stepped up and converted the penalty, giving Osasuna a 3-2 lead going into the break.

After the break, Valencia came out with renewed determination but found it hard to replicate the intensity of the first half. However, in the 87th minute, Umar Sadiq delivered a moment of magic. A perfectly placed cross from Sergi Canós was met by Sadiq, who produced a stunning left-footed backheel to beat Herrera and make it 3-3.

Valencia left Pamplona with a point, but the draw did little to ease their relegation fears. With crucial matches ahead, Sadiq’s heroics provided a glimmer of hope, and coach Carlos Corberán will now focus on the important clash against the league’s bottom team next Saturday.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Related Articles

Back to top button
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x