Deportivo Defeats Osasuna 2-1 with Late Goal in La Liga
Bil Nsongo scored in the 87th minute to secure a comeback victory for Deportivo La Coruña at Riazor.
Deportivo La Coruña secured a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory against Osasuna at Riazor, ending a six-match winless streak in La Liga. Bil Nsongo netted the decisive goal in the 87th minute to lift the newly promoted side into eighth place in the standings.
The match began with early pressure from the home side, though Osasuna managed to strike first against the run of play. Following an error from Deportivo goalkeeper Leo Román in the 33rd minute, a quick sequence involving Dubasin and Moi Gómez allowed Ante Budimir to open the scoring with a right-footed shot from the penalty spot. The goal marked another milestone for the Croatian forward as he approached 100 goals with the visiting club.
Despite trailing at halftime, Deportivo maintained its aggressive approach and leveled the score in the 64th minute. Mario capitalized on a free kick, drilling a low shot through the defensive wall past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera to make it 1-1. The equalizer energized the home crowd and shifted the momentum firmly toward the Galician side.
Deportivo manager Antonio Hidalgo turned to his bench in the second half, introducing Adama Traoré in the 56th minute to inject fresh energy into the attack. The tactical shift paid dividends as Traoré used his pace and dribbling ability to trouble Osasuna's defense on the right flank, stretching the pitch and creating constant problems for the visiting backline.
The winning sequence arrived late in the contest when Traoré surged down the wing and delivered a precise cross into the area. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang met the ball with a powerful header that forced a brilliant initial save from Herrera, but Nsongo was positioned perfectly to bundle in the rebound from close range and seal the 2-1 triumph.
Osasuna struggled to regain control in the closing stages, running out of energy after spending much of the second half chasing the ball. Jagoba Arrasate's team came close to equalizing in stoppage time when Osambela struck the crossbar with a header, but time ran out for the visitors, who suffered yet another defeat away from El Sadar and sit with only one win in their last five matches.
The encounter featured several familiar faces, with former Osasuna personnel including director deportivo Fernando Soriano, coach Antonio Hidalgo, and substitute goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández present on the Deportivo side. For Osasuna, the defeat highlights ongoing defensive struggles and instability on the road as the team looks to regroup following the international break.
Sources
- Osasuna paga en Riazor su déficit de fútbol y energía diariodenavarra.es
- Mastantuono’s late winner ends Fiorentina's 52-day winless run sports.yahoo.com
- Adama, un revulsivo descomunal futbolfantasy.com