Alavés secured a commanding 5-2 victory over Osasuna at the Estadio de Mendizorrosa on Saturday, moving into fifth place in La Liga's Regular Season standings. The fourth matchday fixture produced more goals than points, with Lucas Boyé's three strikes proving decisive against a visitors' side that had looked solid in previous outings. Both teams entered the contest level on seven points after three games, but the result leaves Alavés with a slight edge in the table race. By then, the atmosphere inside the stadium had shifted from cautious anticipation to something more feverish.
Boyé opened the scoring in the twenty-seventh minute, receiving a pass inside the box and finishing past Sergio Herrera with a composed left-footed shot. Mariano Díaz doubled the advantage nine minutes later, timing his run to beat Abderrahmane Rebbach on the overlap before slotting home. Osasuna responded almost immediately after the interval, with Ante Budimir converting from close range to restore hope among the travelling supporters. The first half had been tighter than the scoreline suggested, with both sides showing caution in the final third.
Osasuna's momentum continued into the second period when Budimir added a penalty in the sixty-fourth minute to make it 3-2. The spot-kick came after a handball incident that went to review, and the Croatian forward did not hesitate in taking his chance. Alavés refused to buckle, with Boyé netting his second in the fifty-first minute and then his third shortly after the hour mark to restore a two-goal cushion. The visitors had pinned them back for spells, but the home side turned it around after the break.
And here's the thing — we had backed the home side before kickoff, giving them just 46 per cent confidence. The prediction came true, though not in the manner many expected. Osasuna had been impressive in their previous fixtures, beating Celta and Hetafe while keeping clean sheets against Levante. What changed was the efficiency in front of goal, something Boyé demonstrated with ruthless precision throughout the afternoon.
The statistics tell a story of balanced dominance rather than one-sided control. Both sides held 50 per cent possession, but Alavés created three big chances compared to Osasuna's two. The hosts registered seven shots on target with an expected goals total of 1.41, while the visitors managed five on target against an xG of 1.82. That discrepancy between chances and conversion explains why Osasuna's higher expected goals did not translate into a closer result.
The victory moves Alavés to fifth place, level with Osasuna in seventh on points but ahead on goal difference. Both sides remain unbeaten after three matches, though the gap between them has now widened by two points. The home side's recent form — including victories over Villarreal and Hetafe — suggests they are building something workable under their current setup. The result means Alavés will look to extend their unbeaten run when they return to action next week.
