Espanyol 1-1 Girona
Whereas Espanyol have been battling for survival all season, concern has been rising at Girona that they may very well be dragged into that battle, with simply six factors separating them from the relegation zone. The massive stakes have been evident within the soccer on a chilly Monday night time on the RCDE Stadium.
Girona began off the higher, controlling the sport and taking part in in Espanyol’s half for probably the most half, with Arthur Melo and Ivan Martin directing issues within the early going. Penetrating Espanyol’s strong block of defenders was proving harder although, and it was Los Pericos who started to develop in the direction of the top of the half. Whereas Arnau Martinez flashed a ball throughout the field, it was Javi Puado for the house aspect that introduced the primary save of observe, forcing Paulo Gazzaniga into a superb cease simply earlier than the midway level.
The second half noticed Espanyol come out the blocks sooner too, and after an early likelihood for Robert Fernandez, they broke from the sting of their very own field, with Jofre Carreras being consumed the midway line. He drove onerous and straight on the Girona defenders, and unchallenged, launched a superb effort into the nook simply earlier than he reached the sting of the opposition space.
Issues appeared to be uphill for Girona from that stage onwards, at the same time as Girona layed siege to the Espanyol field within the last 20 minutes. Espanyol have been breaking with pace, and tackling onerous, spurred on by the group. Solely within the last ten minutes did Girona appear like getting one thing, and Joan Garcia was compelled to proceed his glorious kind with the intention to hold out a volley from Yangel Herrera from shut vary.
But the air went out of the stadium when Viktor Tsygankov in the reduction of onto his proper within the field and an errant leg from Urko Gonzalez felled him. With simply three minutes remaining, Cristhian Stuani handed the ball down the center, as Garcia leapt for extra heroics.
The factors have been shared, and Girona prolonged a winless run to 5, however the hole to the drop zone to seven. In the meantime Espanyol made it eight house matches with out defeat, however Los Pericos have only a two-point cushion to the drop. Whereas Michel Sanchez can be relieved to have averted defeat, it was not a efficiency that can have arrested his considerations a lot. However Manolo Gonzalez will really feel it’s two factors dropped from a usually strong exhibiting.