Alaves Edge Past Injury-Hit Oviedo to Boost Survival Hopes

Alaves picked up three vital points with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Oviedo at Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere on Sunday, in what proved to be a tactical battle between two sides dealing with significant squad disruption.

The match was heavily influenced by the lengthy injury lists both teams brought into this Matchweek 37 encounter. Oviedo were without key midfielder Leander Dendoncker through injury and had to cope with suspensions to Kwasi Sibo and Javier López Carballo following red card accumulations. The home side's midfield was further depleted with Oviemuno Dominic Ejaria sidelined and Nicolás Fonseca suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

Alaves arrived in Asturias with their own personnel problems, most notably missing top scorer Lucas Ariel Boyé to a muscle injury. The striker's absence was keenly felt given his impressive return of nine goals and 8.4 SAM rating this season. Defensive stalwart Facundo Tomás Garcés was also suspended, while Carlos Nahuel Benavídez Protesoni joined the treatment room with a muscle problem.

Despite the disruptions, Alaves showed greater resilience and organization. Their defensive unit, marshalled by the outstanding Jonathan Castro Otto, proved the difference. The centre-back's commanding 8.8 SAM rating reflects a season of consistent performances, and he was instrumental in keeping Oviedo's attack at bay.

Oviedo's Federico Sebastián Viñas Barboza, despite carrying an impressive 8.0 SAM rating and five goals this term, struggled to find clear-cut opportunities against a well-drilled Alaves backline. The home side's creative burden fell heavily on Thiago Cruz Fernández's shoulders, but even his 7.2 SAM rating and three assists this season couldn't unlock the visitor's defense.

The tactical approach from both sides reflected their injury situations. Oviedo, missing key midfield components, struggled to establish rhythm in possession. Alaves, without their main goal threat in Boyé, adopted a more conservative approach but remained clinical when the opportunity arose.

With Víctor Parada González providing defensive stability alongside Castro Otto, Alaves looked comfortable absorbing pressure before striking decisively for the winner.

This result continues a disappointing pattern for Oviedo, who have now lost consecutive matches to Alaves, including this exact 1-0 scoreline. For the visitors, these three points could prove crucial in their fight for La Liga survival, demonstrating their ability to grind out results even when key players are unavailable.

As we head into the final stretch of the season, Alaves have shown the kind of defensive resilience that keeps teams in the top flight, while Oviedo's injury crisis threatens to derail their own survival ambitions.