Girona and Tenerife did not flip a scoreline from a draw into a zero on this Saturday when the promotion playoff final of La Liga Santander took center stage at Montilivi. The Catalans surrendered an advantage at home, yet they still dictated much of the tempo and controlled the flow of the match throughout the 90 minutes.
The second leg will decide which team secures the first of the two promotion spots, joining Almería and Valladolid in earning a return to the top flight. Tenerife approached the tie with a steady resolve, neutralizing Girona’s early momentum while the Canarias earned a foothold in the contest, setting up a nervy finale and keeping the hopes of their supporters alive.
In the opening half, Girona looked sharper and more aggressive, pressing high and attempting to dictate play. Tenerife, however, did not crumble; they pressed well and created interruptions that limited the Catalans to a single clear scoring moment in the period, a one-on-one chance for Baena that Soriano managed to smother.
The home side enjoyed sustained possession, honest in their intent to clinch a decisive edge. Yet the visitors rarely allowed themselves to be overwhelmed, standing firm when Girona attacked and occasionally breaking forward to threaten on the break. After failing to convert their recent losses against Ramis’ squad and a prior stalemate with Eibar in the same run to the final, Girona pressed forward with renewed vigor.
Three minutes into the match, Pol Lozano found the back of the net to put Girona ahead briefly, and shortly thereafter Arnau poked home what looked like the crucial second. The sequence spoke to Girona’s willingness to turn up the intensity, aided by aggressive set-piece threats and a relentless hunt for a lead. Yet Tenerife did not surrender; a flurry of corners and a looping cross from the left kept the visitors clinging to hope as the half wore on, while a long ball struck the post and El Tenerife forward Mollejo forced danger moments later.
The most impressive aspect of Girona’s approach was the after-breach response: a relentless push to regain dominance after falling behind in the rhythm of the game. Baena produced a smart move shortly before the 39th minute, capitalizing on a steal by Aleix García to create a promising opportunity. The momentum swung repeatedly, with the match continuing its familiar pattern of sustained Girona control punctuated by Tenerife’s effective counterplay. Ramis’ team appeared ready to press for a second goal, but their opponents weathered the storm and kept the scoreline level.
As the game moved into its latter stages, the tempo remained lively. Míchel’s side rushed their build-up in search of a decisive strike but found little clarity in the final third. Tenerife, committed to defending resolutely, insisted on staying compact and playing with tempo when angles opened up. If a clear path to goal existed, it was not obvious, and the contest remained finely poised with the possibility of extra time looming. A draw would realistically shift the fate to a decisive extra period, keeping Tenerife’s dream of a top-flight return alive.
The second leg, set to be staged at Heliodoro Rodríguez López, looms as a final hurdle for a Girona side eager to serve as a top-tier attraction for a third time. The Canary Islands club arrives with confidence that their plan can translate into success away from home, while Girona must navigate a potentially unfamiliar atmosphere with the same standing they demonstrated in Montilivi.
DATA SHEET
Result: Girona 0 – Tenerife 0
Alignments
Girona FC: Juan Carlos; Arnau, Santi Bueno, Bernardo, Juanpe, Valery; Álex Baena, Pol Lozano, Aleix García, Iván Martín, Stuani.
Tenerife: John Soriano; Moore, Sergio Gonzalez, Jose Leon, Mellot; Bermejo, Corredera, Aitor Sanz, Mollejo; Mario González and Enric Gallego.
Judge: Hernández Maeso. He cautioned Pol Lozano and Baena from Girona, and Zorrilla and Andrés Martín from Tenerife.
Stadium: Montilivi, capacity 11,303 spectators.