Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona: Fiery Navarrans Sting Barca With Injury Time Pique Own Goal

The Blaugrana thought they had done enough to secure a marginal win but a 92nd minute own goal earned Osasuna a point…

Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona - Line-up/Stats
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Barcelona looked on course for a straightforward but not spectacular win at Osasuna when Seydou Keita broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute but it was cancelled out by a Gerard Pique own goal three minutes into injury time.

With Manchester City manager, Mark Hughes watching on in the Reyno de Navarra stands, the Catalans wasted little time to raid the Osasuna goal. Lionel Messi had the first shot after just 55 seconds when he collected a fortunate loose ball from 12 yards out, turned and unleashed a piledriver but it flew straight at Ricardo who managed to fist it out.

But Los Rojillos were not overwhelmed and they had their first sniff in the 10th minute. Walter Pandiani released Aranda clean through on goal but he could only slam his shot wide from angle.

Last weekend’s hat-trick hero for Barca, Seydou Keita was next to try his luck when he latched onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s chest-down but the Malian’s half-volley from 20 yards out flashed wide.

On 18 minutes, the vociferous Pamplona crowd thought their side had won a penalty. Aranda shimmed past Gerard Pique but then crumbled to the ground, prompting the referee to sprint into the box and flash a yellow card to the Osasuna forward for simulation. Moments later, Juanfran darted down the right flank and steamed past Dmytro Chyrynskiy but his cut-back was desperately hacked clear by Carles Puyol with Pandiani ready to pounce in the middle.

Juanfran whipped in another menacing cross from the left on the half hour mark but Aranda’s ambitious bicycle kick sailed into the stands. Osasuna then had an excellent freekick opportunity five minutes before the break but Javad Nekounam drilled his 25-yard effort high and wide.

Despite both sides playing at a frantic pace, neither could really carve out any real clear-cut chances as the first half ended goalless.

Jose Antonio Camacho’s men, who had showed that they were not afraid of taking the game to their illustrious opponents, came out charging forward at the start of the second period, with Aranda continuing to look particularly menacing. But as the Blaugrana slowly took charge, they were able to slow down and control the rhythm at their own pace.

The first attempt didn’t arrive until the 54th minute when Ibrahimovic took advantage of a poor clearance but his weak standing shot right on the edge of the box was easily gathered by Ricardo. Four minutes later, Eric Abidal swung in a dangerous cross from the left which was flapped away tamely by the Osasuna goalkeeper, but he was relieved to see the ball fall behind Ibra.

Pandiani then had two headed attempts saved comfortably by Victor Valdes just past the hour. But Barca’s patience finally paid off on 72 minutes. Messi released the overlapping Puyol into the box and the captain’s pull-back found Keita and the in-form Malian stabbed it into the empty net from five yards out for his fourth goal in two games.

The strike took the sting and the steam out of Osasuna’s fight as they struggled to replicate the attacking impetus that they demonstrated in the first period. But when they did roam forwards, they almost allowed Pep Guardiola’s troops to double the lead.

Messi lead the counter with a typical solo run inside his own half and sprayed the final pass to Puyol out on his right, who tried to curl it in with his left foot but instead rifled it high and wide.

Barcelona had three chances late in the game to bury the contest. First, Ibrahimovic’s right footed shot just outside the box was palmed away brilliantly by Ricardo. Then, Messi saw a well-disguised freekick saved low at the near post and seconds later, the Argentinean livewire was put through on goal but his one-on-one effort was smothered by the impressive Ricardo. And ‘El Tricampeon’ would pay for their wastefulness.

Three minutes into injury time, Javier Camunas raced down the left flank and drilled in a low cross at the byline and Pique, harassed by Pandiani behind him, stuck his foot and sent the ball into the back of his own net.

Osasuna celebrated at the final whistle as if they had won the game while Barcelona trudged back into the dressing room disappointed at having let three points slip away, although they remained top of the table.