Girona got their smiles back on their faces with a 2-1 win over UD Las Palmas in a key match for their LaLiga EA Sports aspirations. With this result, the team led by Míchel leaves behind a streak of four consecutive defeats and moves up to seventh place with 31 points, just one point away from the European zone. Meanwhile, Las Palmas are still without a win in their last four matches and remain in a delicate situation with 23 points, just two above the relegation zone.
Girona Takes The Initiative And Opens The Scoreboard
From the first minute, the Catalan side came out determined to impose conditions in Montilivi. With high pressure and good ball handling, the locals sought to generate danger in the opponent's area. Míchel's plan worked quickly, as, after eight minutes of play, Yangel Herrera filtered a precise pass to Abel Ruiz, who coolly defined against Jasper Cillessen to put 1-0 on the scoreboard.
The early goal sparked Girona, who continued to attack with insistence. Bryan Gil had the chance to extend the lead with a powerful shot, but Cillessen responded with a great save. Shortly after, Abel Ruiz again came close to a second goal after a good pass from Miguel Gutiérrez, but his shot went wide.
Before the break, the referee pointed to a penalty in favor of the home side after a foul by Scott McKenna on Yangel Herrera. Abel Ruiz took the ball with the intention of signing his brace, but Cillessen guessed the direction of the shot and kept Las Palmas alive.
Las Palmas Reacts, But Girona Strikes Again
In the second half, the visiting team came out with more intensity and took control of the ball. Alberto Moleiro and Fábio Silva led the offensive attempts of the Canaries, who came close to equalizing on several occasions. In one of the most dangerous arrivals, Moleiro was in an unbeatable position inside the area, but his shot went over the crossbar.
Girona was able to resist the pressure and, despite some moments of suffering, managed to find the second goal in the 79th minute. Yáser Asprilla captured a rebound on the edge of the area and, with a powerful shot, beat Cillessen to make it 2-0.
However, the home team's joy was short-lived, as Las Palmas scored just three minutes later. Mika Mármol sent a low pass into the area and Fábio Silva appeared to push the ball into the back of the net, cutting the deficit and making the score 2-1.
A Tense Closing And Three Valuable Points For Girona
The final minutes were tense. Las Palmas pushed forward in search of an equalizer and generated several dangerous chances. In the 85th minute, McBurnie had the clearest opportunity with a cross shot that went just wide. Girona, on the other hand, opted for defensive solidity and to take advantage of the spaces on the counterattack.
With time running out, the referee added six minutes of stoppage time, in which the visiting team continued to press without success. In the last play of the match, Cillessen prevented Girona's third goal with a spectacular save from Yangel Herrera's header. Finally, the final whistle decreed the victory for the Catalan team, who celebrated with their fans a result that could mark a turning point in the season.
Do you enter this parlay in the #CoppaItalia? 🇮🇹#Atalanta and #ACMilan are defending their home games in intense matches. Do you think they will score and win?
Predict now! ➡ https://t.co/HCS0draMpV pic.twitter.com/HMUQ58jmOQ
- Betcris (@Betcris) February 4, 2025
Girona Dreams Of Europe, Las Palmas Still In Trouble
This victory represents a great relief for Girona, which not only breaks a bad streak of results, but also gets into the fight for the European places. With 31 points, Míchel's team is just one unit behind Rayo Vallecano, the team in sixth place.
On the other hand, Las Palmas is still without a win and has now gone four games without a victory. With 23 points, the team coached by Diego Martínez is in a difficult situation, with only two points ahead of the relegation zone. Lack of attacking punch and defensive errors have been determining factors in their recent drop in performance.
Girona will be looking to keep the momentum going in their next game to keep climbing the table, while Las Palmas will need to react quickly if they are to avoid getting into trouble with relegation.
