Levante Beats Real Oviedo 2-0 at Carlos Tartiere, Closes Gap

When Levante UD rolled out a 2-0 win at Estadio Carlos Tartiere on Saturday, October 4, 2025, the LaLiga table shifted just enough to give the newly‑promoted side a sliver of breathing room. The triumph was steered by Julian Calero, head coach of Levante UD, who finally saw his side’s attacking firepower translate into points, while Veljko Paunović, manager of Real Oviedo was left to pick up the pieces of a defense that has leaked goals at an alarming rate.

Why the match mattered

Both clubs entered the encounter separated by a single point after seven league fixtures – Levante sitting 15th with five points and Oviedo a shade above in 14th with six. With the relegation zone looming, a win for either side meant a vital swing in the survival battle. The stakes were amplified by the fact that both teams are fresh from promotion, meaning every point feels like a lifeline rather than just another tally.

Key moments and the decisive players

The opening twenty minutes saw Levante dominate possession, playing a high‑press that forced Oviedo into uncomfortable errors. Etta Eyong, who has already netted four league goals, turned a slick through‑ball from Ivan Romero into the back of the net in the 23rd minute. "We knew we had the quality to break them down," Eyong said after the match. "The goal was a product of teamwork, not just individual brilliance."

Just before halftime, Levante doubled the lead. A well‑timed run by midfielder Carlos Alvarez saw him deliver a low cross that found the feet of Unai Vencedor, whose first‑time volley left Oviedo’s keeper scrambling.

Defensively, Mathew Ryan kept a clean sheet, marking his first shut‑out of the season after conceding 14 goals in the opening six games. "We’ve worked hard on our shape," Ryan remarked. "Tonight the communication was spot‑on, and that makes all the difference."

Statistical snapshot

• Levante’s attack: 11 goals in 7 matches (1.57 gpg)
• Oviedo’s defense: 16 goals conceded (2.29 gpg)
• Possession: Levante 54% – Oviedo 46%
• Shots on target: Levante 6 – Oviedo 3
• Points after match: Levante 8 (6th place), Oviedo 6 (13th place)

Reactions from the dugout

Calero praised his side’s resilience. "We knew we had to be aggressive but disciplined. The players executed the game plan perfectly, especially in the final third," he said. Paunović, meanwhile, admitted his side were out‑classed. "We lacked the cutting edge in attack and paid for defensive lapses. We’ll regroup and look to tighten up before the next fixture," he added.

How the result reshapes the relegation fight

Levante’s win moves them out of the bottom‑three for the first time this season, sitting five points clear of the drop zone with ten games left. Conversely, Oviedo slips back into the danger zone and must win at least three of their next five matches to stay afloat. The shift also impacts betting markets; before kick‑off Oviedo were +128 odds favorites, a stark reversal after the final whistle.

Historical context

Historically, the two clubs have met five times in the top flight over the past decade, with Oviedo holding a slight edge (two wins, two draws, one loss). Their last encounter in April 2024 ended 1-0 to Oviedo in a LaLiga 2 clash. This season, however, Levante’s offensive output has outstripped Oviedo’s by a wide margin, underscoring a changing power balance between the two freshly promoted sides.

What’s next for both clubs

Levante travels to Sevilla next weekend to face Sevilla FC, a match that will test whether the defensive improvements seen against Oviedo can hold up against a top‑six side. Oviedo, on the other hand, hosts Athletic Bilbao in their next fixture and will be looking to tighten their backline while hoping for a spark from their own forwards, notably Luka Ilic and Jose Salomon Rondon.