Osasuna Women 3-3 Real Madrid II Women: six-goal thriller ends all square in Segunda Futfem

Osasuna Women and Real Madrid II Women played out a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw in the Spanish Segunda Futfem, trading blows across 90 minutes in a match that neither side deserved to lose. Three goals for the hosts, three for the visitors, and a final half-hour that produced almost everything the fans in Pamplona could have asked for.

It was a night of attacking quality, individual errors and remarkable resilience, and it delivered a result that will have ramifications for the standings at both ends of the table.

Match overview

Osasuna Women started with real purpose, pressing high and looking to use the width of the pitch. Their midfield dominated the opening twenty minutes, and the visitors struggled to play out from the back under pressure. The home side's reward came early, and for a period it looked as though they might take control of the contest entirely.

Real Madrid II Women, however, are a young side full of technical quality, and they responded the way good development teams do: by keeping the ball, remaining patient and finding the spaces left behind Osasuna's aggressive press. By half-time the game had become a genuine back-and-forth encounter.

Key moments

• 9' — Goal. 1-0. Osasuna Women take the lead with a low finish after a slick passing move on the left.
• 26' — Goal. 1-1. Real Madrid II equalise with a curling shot from just inside the box.
• 41' — Goal. 2-1. Osasuna restore their advantage, converting from close range after a goalmouth scramble following a corner.
• 55' — Goal. 2-2. A quick counter-attack down the right ends with a composed finish past the goalkeeper.
• 67' — Goal. 3-2. Osasuna retake the lead, a header from a deep cross that catches the visitors' defence flat-footed.
• 84' — Goal. 3-3. Real Madrid II level again, punishing a loose pass with a sharp finish from the edge of the area.
• 90+4' — Both sides push for a winner, but the final chance is cleared off the line.

Tactical story

The match was defined by the battle between Osasuna's aggressive pressing and Real Madrid II's commitment to playing out from the back. When the press worked, Osasuna turned possession into chances almost immediately. When it was beaten, the visitors had acres of space to attack in transition.

Osasuna's biggest strength on the night was their set-piece delivery and their ability to overload the wings, and two of their three goals originated from wide areas. Their weakness was the same as it has been for much of the season: controlling the game once they have a lead. Twice they went ahead after the interval and twice they were pegged back.

Real Madrid II Women showed composure beyond their years. Rather than forcing the game after falling behind, they kept circulating the ball, drew the opposition press towards them and struck at the right moments. Their equaliser eight minutes from time was the reward for that discipline.

Standout players

• Osasuna Women's forward line — Three goals from a range of different build-ups, showing genuine attacking variety.
• Real Madrid II Women's midfield — Patient on the ball and ruthless in transition, they controlled large parts of the second half.
• Osasuna's set-piece takers — Consistently dangerous deliveries that caused problems all evening.
• Both goalkeepers — Beaten six times between them, but each produced saves that kept the scoreline from running away.

What the result means

A point apiece keeps both sides in the thick of the Segunda Futfem picture, but the emotions will be very different. Osasuna Women will see this as two dropped points after leading three times at home — a recurring theme that their coaching staff will want to address quickly. Real Madrid II Women, meanwhile, will take real confidence from coming from behind twice away from home against an experienced opponent.

With the season still in its early phase, there is plenty of time for both clubs to shape their campaigns. But if this fixture is anything to go by, their return meeting later in the season should be circled in the calendar now.