Osasuna and Athletic Club shared the points in Pamplona after a contest of two clear halves, ending 1-1 at Estadio El Sadar in LaLiga Round 18. Rubén García bent in a superb first-half free-kick to give Osasuna a deserved lead, but Gorka Guruzeta’s sharp equaliser on 71 minutes ensured the visitors halted their losing streak and left with a result that felt fair on balance. The draw came after a 15:15 UTC kick-off under the watch of referee José Luis Munuera Montero and keeps both teams hovering around their current trajectories in the table.

García’s free-kick lights up a rocking El Sadar

The opening half belonged to Osasuna. Backed by the noise and color of El Sadar, the hosts were quicker to second balls and more decisive around the box. Their reward arrived on 34 minutes when Rubén García stepped up and whipped a powerful free-kick beyond the wall and into the net. It was the clean, confident strike that the game needed and a moment of quality that matched Osasuna’s early control.

Osasuna’s selection picture wasn’t simple. They had to navigate absences: Flavien Boyomo was away on international duty, Abel Bretones was suspended, and Iker Benito is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury. Pre-match projections suggested a 4-2-3-1 look, leaning on a mix of steel and invention with Sergio Herrera in goal and a creative band that included García. In that first half, the balance worked. Osasuna’s lines stayed connected, their full-backs were alert, and the visitors struggled to stitch together attacks.

“That García free-kick felt like a statement — El Sadar expects.”

Second-half switch flips the game toward Athletic

After the break, the tone changed. Athletic Club began to compress the pitch, move the ball faster between the lines, and build pressure in wide areas. The real swing came just after the hour mark. A bold triple substitution injected energy and fresh ideas, and suddenly the visitors had a foothold. They pressed higher, won duels, and started to win second phases around the Osasuna box.

The breakthrough reflected that momentum. On 71 minutes, Gorka Guruzeta — a reliable presence up top — found the equaliser. It was a tidy finish in the kind of crowded moment Athletic had been forcing since the changes. From there, Osasuna struggled to build back any threat. Notably, after conceding, the hosts did not register another shot on target, a sign of how firmly Athletic had gripped the game’s rhythm.

In the closing stages, the visitors looked more likely to steal it. Their ball circulation was brisk, their pressing triggers were clear, and they pinned Osasuna deep enough to make the stadium hold its breath more than once. In the end, the draw felt like a relief for Osasuna and a small but important reset for Athletic.

“Athletic’s bench changed everything — why not start with that intensity?”

Table picture: a point each, different emotions

Context matters here. Athletic Club arrived on a two-game losing run in LaLiga and simply needed something to stop the slide. They got it. At 1-1, they also missed a chance to truly cut into the pack chasing European places, yet the second-half response will feel like a platform. The record stands at 7-2-9 (23 points) after 18 matches, and the direction of travel in the last 30 minutes will encourage them.

For Osasuna, there is calm in the bigger picture. The draw leaves them 12th, four points clear of the relegation zone. At home, their recent league form has been a steady anchor, and this performance — especially the first half — showed why. The challenge is clear: protect leads better and find ways to create one or two high-quality chances late, even under pressure. Do that, and mid-table can become upper-mid-table very quickly.

“Osasuna look safe enough — now turn these nights into wins.”

Man of the Match: Jorge Herrando’s assured display

On a day of momentum swings, one constant for Osasuna was the composure at the back from Jorge Herrando. Named Flashscore’s Man of the Match, Herrando read danger well, stayed alert to balls over the top, and put his body on the line when Athletic ramped up the pressure. He brought calm in a frantic second half, where every clearance mattered and every duel carried weight.

Man-of-the-match awards can be subjective, but in a game where both teams had their moments, Herrando’s steadiness stands out as a fair pick. His leadership by example helped Osasuna absorb wave after wave as the visitors chased all three points.

Game detail: time, officiating, and the fine margins

Kick-off was at 15:15 UTC, and the match was officiated by José Luis Munuera Montero. The whistle rarely overshadowed the contest, which was shaped more by tactical adjustments and energy than by flashpoints. In a league where single moments define results, the sequence around the hour mark — Athletic’s triple change — proved decisive. It handed the visitors control and set the stage for Guruzeta’s equaliser.

Osasuna’s absences also mattered over 90 minutes. Without key options due to international duty, suspension, and a long-term injury, there was less flexibility to refresh the attack late on. That partly explains why, once pegged back, they couldn’t force Unai Simón’s goal (figuratively) back under threat and had to settle into a defensive stance to protect a point.

Tactical takeaways from Pamplona

• Set-piece payoff: García’s free-kick was a clean strike and proof that dead-ball quality can unlock tight first halves.
• Bench impact: Athletic’s triple substitution after 60 minutes changed the game’s speed and gave them sustained territory.
• Game management: Osasuna’s post-equaliser drought in shots on target shows where late-game control can improve.
• Defensive backbone: Herrando’s recognition as Man of the Match reflects Osasuna’s resilience in the second-half storm.

The bottom line

Both teams leave with something to build on. Osasuna reminded LaLiga they can dictate games at home, but they also learned a tough lesson about momentum and managing a lead against an opponent with depth. Athletic, meanwhile, broke a short losing run and showed that their bench can tilt tough away matches back their way.

At 1-1, the score tells a simple story. Look closer, and the details suggest one team refining the art of control and another learning how to hold it. The return meeting will be one to watch.