Girona 1-1 Athletic Club
Girona moved a point clear of Real Madrid on Monday night, after their draw with Athletic was enough to secure top spot once more, even if it was tinged with disappointment that it might be more.
The game started off as it would go on: both teams committing players forward, pressing where possible, and conceding or creating plenty of chances. The hosts could not take the lead through a Yangel Herrera header, nor through Cristhian Stuani hitting the post, as they had the better of those chances, but Mikel Vesga and the Athleticzales cursed his lack of a left foot as their best chance went begging. Herrera also had a goal disallowed after Savio barely failed to beat the offside trap before clipping it into the Venezuelan.
In the second half, Savio came into his own on the left side, before eventually causing havoc on the right. Nico Williams proved to be a thorn in the side of Girona all night at the other end too. Yet it was the opposing wingers which got the goals.
High pressure won the ball back for Girona just before the hour-mark, which they then swiftly worked to the left side. Savio played a quick one-two, before cutting the ball across the box. Dani Vivian’s slight touch saw the ball evade Stuani, but fall right into the path of Viktor Tsygankov to convert.
Ten minutes later, Girona were close to a second as Miguel Gutierrez, the left-back in a right inside-forward position, tried to pull the ball back for Stuani. Athletic launched a stunning counter-attack though, and it was Oihan Sancet’s perfectly weighted ball in behind Aleix Garcia at left-back that allowed Inaki Williams to cut in, shrug off a challenge, and finish into the bottom corner.
The final 20 minutes saw Athletic retreat somewhat as Girona tried to force the issue. Savio created chances for first Pablo Torre (blocked), and then Herrera again (sent wide), but the wayward finishing made the absence of the injured Artem Dovbyk all the more prescient. Athletic move above rivals Real Sociedad into 5th, level on points. Both are at home next weekend, as Girona welcome Valencia and Athletic face Rayo Vallecano.
