Alaves Thrash Osasuna 5-2 to Become La Liga's New Dark Horse: Impressive First Four Rounds

In the La Liga fourth-round match held on September 7 Beijing time, Alaves hosted Osasuna and ended the exciting contest with an impressive 5-2 victory, producing seven goals for the fans. At the start of this season, Alaves recorded three wins and one draw in their first four rounds, making a particularly strong impression.

In this match, every Alaves goal was remarkable. In the first half, they scored two long-range strikes, with Boye and Mariano finding the net respectively to make it 2-0 and establish a strong early advantage. Although Osasuna quickly reduced the deficit in the second half by scoring a goal, Boye responded by adjusting skillfully outside the penalty area and firing a powerful long-range effort to restore a two-goal lead. However, Osasuna refused to give up and pulled the score back again through Budimir's penalty. In the 68th minute, Boye completed his hat-trick to add another goal for the home side, before Ibanez sealed the final 5-2 scoreline near the end of the match.

There is no denying that Alaves have shown extremely strong form and have become one of the biggest dark horses in La Liga this season. After this match, Alaves had collected 10 points from matches against Getafe, Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal and Osasuna, and quietly moved above Real Madrid in the standings to take second place in La Liga, behind only unbeaten Barcelona.

Looking back at last season, Alaves were only a team fighting to avoid relegation and eventually finished 14th, just one point above the relegation zone. However, their performances this season have been completely transformed, with strong home form and solid away displays, giving them the potential to become a surprise contender. Although challenging for the title against Barcelona and Real Madrid would still be difficult, if they can maintain their current form, they have a real chance of competing for a top-four finish.

It is worth noting that La Liga has never lacked surprise teams, and Girona in the 2023-2024 season was a clear example. They surged from the beginning and eventually finished third, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time. Alaves have players such as former Real Madrid talent Mariano and experienced Boye, along with young prospects like Blanco who also came through Real Madrid's youth system, giving Alaves a strong overall level in La Liga. After this excellent start, Alaves should adjust their target from avoiding relegation to pursuing a higher goal of finishing in the top four.