How cruel a mistress football can be sometimes. Real Betis, the self proclaimed unluckiest club in Spain, fell victim yet again to this most stony-hearted of sports, where hard work and performing better than your opponents count for nothing if they score more goals than you. This time the merciless culprits of the los beticos defeat were Osasuna, who had their goal keeper, Andrés Fernández to thank for staying in the game long enough to grab the winner with the last kick of the game that finished 2-1.
The Reyno de Navarra was probably the last place Pepe Mel wanted to visit today given Osasuna’s excellent record at home this season and the precarious nature of his position as the Betis coach. On the back of a nine match run which had only produced a solitary point, this was make or break for the Madrileño. The hostile atmosphere in the Navarra stadium has subdued most opposition attacking line ups, with José Mendilibar’s side having only conceded three goals there before tonight’s encounter in the league.
With this in mind, Mel went for a more pragmatic approach than usual. Out with the “easy on the eye” passing nonsense and in with a more resilient and solid mentality. Beñat made way in order to implement this change and Mario was pushed up into midfield to tighten things up.
Despite Andrés being forced into a save, in which he tipped the ball onto the woodwork in the 6th minute from a Salva Sevilla free kick, this retinkering didn’t have much of an impact and the home side, while not creating much in the way of chances, controlled possession for the entire first half.
Los Rojillos capitalised on this just before the break with, you guessed it, a set piece. A corner taken by club veteran Francisco Puñal, who tonight became the club’s most featured player ever in La Primera División with 451 appearances, found Miguel Flaño completely unmarked on the back post to head it in.
Whatever Mel said during his (can’t resist the pun) “pep” talk at half time clearly pumped his players up as evidenced by their hell for leather approach in the second 45 showed. Bravely Mel also decided to bring on another forward to get the creative juices flowing, as it were, with Ustaritz making way for Ruben Castro.
The away team hassled the apparently impenetrable Osasuna defence relentlessly from the off, starting with a José Cañas’ shot in the 53rd minute which took a wicked deflection causing the ball to loop tantalisingly towards the goal, however, a back-tracking and outstretched Andrés, who was to have a very busy Sunday night, got a hand to it to put it over the bar. The 24 year old was on hand again just minutes later when Roque Santa Cruz found space in the area but his strike was slapped away by the keeper and eventually cleared away from danger.
The Manchester City loanee had another chance soon after when he shuffled inside and out to get away from his man only to see his left footed effort whizz wide of the right post and out for a goal kick.
Minutes later Andrés frustrated the visitors again when a tussle in the Osasuna box ended with Ruben Castro shooting from close range on the right but the acute angle and keeper’s face denied the Gran Canarian striker.
However, Mel’s men finally got their goal in the 79th minute, when a nice passing move culminated with Jonathan Pereira finding Ruben Castro alone on the back stick to side foot it home. One all, and Betis showed no signs of being content with just a draw. Pereira had a go at taking the lead himself with a rasping shot towards Andrés’ near post, but the the keeper was quick to get down low and put it out for another Betis corner.
With normal time almost up Ruben Castro struck the bar with a header and los verdiblancos must have thought that was to be their bad luck for the day. How horribly wrong they were. In the third minute of injury time a clinical direct free kick on the edge of their box was converted by Javad Nekounam to settle the game and ensure the Basque team took all three points.
FT Osasuna 2 Real Betis 1: Flaño 39, Castro 79, Nekounam 93
Fact: Ruben Castro has hit the woodwork four times this season. A number only equalled by Agirretxe this season in the league.
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