MADRID: Osasuna shocked Real Madrid 2-1 in LaLiga on Saturday as goals from Ante Budimir and Raul Garcia del Haro dented the leaders’ title charge and gave Barcelona the chance to go top.
Real stayed on 60 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand and host Levante on Sunday.
Osasuna went in front in the 34th minute after a VAR review showed keeper Real keeper Thibaut Courtois had stood on Budimir’s foot. The referee overturned an initial booking for simulation and Budimir calmly converted the spot-kick.
Real levelled when Federico Valverde surged down the left and crossed low for Vinicius Jr. to slide home from close range in the 73rd minute.
But as the visitors pressed in added time, substitute Dani Ceballos lost possession and Raul Moro released Garcia del Haro, who beat Raul Asencio before shooting into the top corner to seal a famous win at Pamplona’s El Sadar stadium.
Osasuna stun Real Madrid 2-1 to blow LaLiga title race open
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Osasuna stun Real Madrid 2-1 to blow LaLiga title race open
- Real stayed on 60 points, two ahead of Barcelona
- Real levelled when Federico Valverde surged down the left
Morocco part company with coach Regragui as World Cup looms
RABAT: Morocco parted company with coach Walid Regragui on Thursday, three months before the World Cup, with the country’s football federation naming Mohamed Ouahbi as his replacement.
Regragui leaves despite having led the Atlas Lions to the World Cup semifinals in 2022 and to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations at the beginning of this year.
“I leave my post with loyalty, gratitude, and the certainty that I have served my country,” he declared during a ceremony broadcast live on television, confirming weeks of persistent rumors that he was on his way out.
Ouahbi, 49, is promoted to the role having overseen Morocco’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup in October, with the federation describing the move as “a strategic transition” in the run-up to the World Cup in North America in June and July.
“It’s a desire not to waste time and to take a different direction,” a source close to the Moroccan Federation told AFP.
“By appointing Mohamed Ouahbi and welcoming top-tier reinforcements, we are raising our standards and our demands,” the source said.
Morocco will be in Group C at the World Cup along with five-time winners Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
They begin their campaign against Brazil at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on June 13 and will be hoping to make a big impression at the tournament before co-hosting the 2030 edition with Spain and Portugal.
“Our ambition is to consolidate our place among the best nations in a sustainable way and to perform well from this summer, as well as in 2030,” the leader of the Moroccan federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, said recently.
Regragui was hailed in 2022 after Morocco became the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the semifinals, beating Spain and Portugal along the way.
However, Regragui likely paid the ultimate price for the manner in which Morocco lost the recent AFCON final to Senegal.
His team were beaten 1-0 after extra-time at the end of a match marred by the Senegal team’s decision to walk off the pitch in protest at the award of a controversial late penalty to the hosts.
The penalty award with the game goalless sparked trouble in the crowd involving Senegal fans, 18 of whom were jailed following the disruption.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz eventually took the penalty after a long delay but his kick was saved and Senegal went on to win the game.
