Villareal held to a draw

Villareal held to a draw

Villarreal had to settle for a point at Osasuna as the sides cancelled each other out in the first round of the Primera Division in Pamplona.

The Yellow Submarine took the lead through the excellent Santi Cazorla just after the half-hour mark, but Walter Pandiani struck the equaliser six minutes later for Osasuna, who managed to survive a wave of attacks from the visitors late on to seal a hard-earned point.

Villarreal had signalled their intentions on Thursday night, when they thrashed Dutch side NAC Breda at El Madrigal 6-1 with a stunning attacking performance.

And that had been achieved without their big summer signing, Nilmar, who was rested.

The Brazilian returned for this game to partner Giuseppe Rossi up front for Villarreal, who were also starting the season under a new coach after Ernesto Valverde replaced Manuel Pellegrini earlier this summer.

But Osasuna play with great intensity at home and Valverde therefore decided to field three combative men in midfield, with Sebastien Eguren, Cani and Marcos Senna charged with winning the battle in the centre of the park and Cazorla the sole creative outlet behind the front men.

Villarreal almost went ahead through an unlikely source after 23 minutes, when centre-back Diego Godin saw his header cleared off the line.

But eight minutes later, they were ahead as Cazorla lashed a deflected long-range effort past a helpless Ricardo.

And five minutes later, it could have been two, but Nilmar shot straight at Ricardo.

Osasuna then went up the other end and levelled.

Pandiani controlled a long ball with his head and fed Carlos Aranda, who held off his marker and set up the Uruguayan for a clinical low finish which gave Diego Lopez no chance.

It was probably about fair at this stage, but Villarreal were far superior after the break.

Nilmar sent a shot spinning just wide of the target four minutes after the interval and Cazorla was brilliantly denied by the busy Ricardo just after the hour mark as the visitors looked to make their superiority count.

And in an attempt to win the match, Valverde sent on the more creative talents of Robert Pires and Ariel Ibagaza late on.

The visitors were in complete control now and Ricardo did well to deny Pires with 13 minutes left.

The Osasuna goalkeeper was then alert to clear as Nilmar was ready to pounce after 86 minutes.

There was only one likely winner now, but Osasuna were desperate to hang on for a point and defended in numbers late on.

And time was running out fast for the visitors.

Pires could have won it with just two minutes left, but blasted over from close range when he really should have hit the target.

That was the last chance for Villarreal, who will definitely see this as a missed opportunity.

Valverde will be encouraged by his team's performance, nevertheless, and Osasuna will be content to begin with a hard-earned point as well following last season's miserable campaign which almost saw them relegated.