Osasuna frustrated by Heerenveen

Bright start
Osasuna have now gone four matches without hitting the target, while Heerenveen - who had Lasse Nilsson dismissed late on - have not found the net for five games following a lacklustre encounter at the Estadio Reyno de Navarra. Neither team ever looked like winning this Group D contest although the home side, missing a number of key players, started the brighter and created the first opening of note in the 13th minute when Patxi Puñal fired straight at Brian Vandenbussche from 12 metres following Roberto Soldado's corner.

Scrappy play
Soldado and Javad Nekunam both sent subsequent shots wide of goal after trying their luck from distance as Osasuna searched for the opener. The two teams were struggling to create any clear-cut chances although José Izquierdo was not far off target with a 20-metre drive which flew wide in the dying moments of the first period. More of the same followed after the break, with Juanlu providing a rare goal threat on the hour before he was denied by Heerenveen defender Petter Hansson's block.

Nilsson dismissal
Seven minutes later Solando missed a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock when he headed wide from close range with the goal at his mercy. Izquierdo again tried his luck from distance as Osasuna searched for a late winner, before an effort from Heerenveen's Uğur Yıldırım forced a save from Osasuna goalkeeper Juan Elía Vallejo in the 80th minute. Heerenveen's hopes of snatching a late win were effectively ended in the 84th minute when they were reduced to ten men after Nilsson was sent off for two bookable offences.