OVIEDO, Spain (Interstat) — Deportivo Alaves opened its La Liga season with a 1-0 victory over Real Oviedo on Sunday at Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere, spoiling the home side’s return to top-flight competition with a disciplined defensive performance and an early strike from striker Toni Martínez.

Martínez found the net in the 17th minute, finishing a swift counterattack that caught the Oviedo backline out of position. The goal came after a turnover in midfield, with Alaves midfielder Jon Guridi threading a through ball to Martínez, who slotted past goalkeeper Leo Román from 12 yards out. It was the only goal of the match, but it proved enough for the visitors to claim all three points on the opening weekend.

Real Oviedo, playing their first La Liga match since promotion, struggled to generate clear-cut chances despite enjoying the majority of possession. Manager Álvaro Cervera’s side pushed forward in the second half but found Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera in fine form. Sivera made several key saves, including a 68th-minute denial of Oviedo winger Sebas Moyano from close range and a stoppage-time parry of a fierce drive from substitute Yaser Asprilla.

The match grew increasingly physical as both teams pressed for control. Referee Alejandro Hernández issued four yellow cards, the first to Oviedo midfielder Thiago Fernández in the 48th minute for a late challenge on Alaves’s Luis Rioja. Federico Viñas was booked in the 65th minute for a tactical foul as he tried to break up an Alaves counter. Oviedo fullback Lucas Ahijado received a yellow card in the 71st minute for a frustrated tackle near midfield, and Alaves substitute Youssef Lekhedim was cautioned in the fourth minute of added time for time-wasting as the visitors saw out the result.

Alaves improved to a 1-0 record in both league play and across all competitions. Oviedo fell to 0-1 in the league and overall. The match marked the first competitive meeting between the two clubs since the 2022-23 Segunda División season, where Oviedo won both encounters.

Oviedo’s best opportunity to equalize came in the 33rd minute when forward Borja Bastón connected with a cross from the right flank, but his header sailed just over the crossbar. In the second half, Oviedo introduced fresh legs in an attempt to break down the Alaves defense, with Paulino de la Fuente and Álex Millán entering the fray. However, Alaves remained compact, dropping into a low block and absorbing pressure.

Alaves nearly doubled their lead in the 78th minute when Rioja broke free on the left and crossed for Martínez, but his shot was blocked by Oviedo center back David Costas. The resulting corner was cleared, and Oviedo pushed forward in the final 10 minutes but could not find the equalizer.

Deportivo Alaves’s victory was built on a strong defensive foundation. Center backs Florian Lejeune and Abdel Abqar were dominant in the air, winning nearly every duel against Oviedo’s forwards. Fullbacks Rubén Duarte and Nahuel Tenaglia limited Oviedo’s wide threats, while midfielders Antonio Blanco and Guridi disrupted passing lanes.

Real Oviedo will look to rebound in Week 2 when they travel to face Rayo Vallecano. Alaves will host Villarreal at Estadio Mendizorroza next Sunday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Real Oviedo 2, Deportivo Alaves 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Real Oviedo with a 78.20 percent probability to win.