Sebastián’s run after Beccacece ends without guiding Elche to Girona’s open road, marking a third straight defeat this weekend. Montilivi saw the visitors lose 2-0 as they failed to convert an early territorial advantage into clear chances while the hosts turned the few moments of threat into goals, taking control of the match as soon as they seized possession.
Beccacece’s side started with intent, pressing high and trying to dominate the opening stages. For thirty balanced minutes, Elche crowded the opposition with numbers, restricting the home team’s forward thrust. Yet the Franjiverdes could not translate the aerial presence and ball circulation into concrete opportunities, letting Girona breathe and defend resolutely until they found the break that mattered.
Elche also sinks in its own special Clausura
David Marin
After a few scrambles, Gumbau opened the scoring with a shot that skimmed off the post and into the net. Gazzaniga adjusted quickly to stop a second strike and keep his team in the game. Morente offered sporadic threat from the left, but was unable to finish. An uncharacteristic miscontrol cut short a promising moment for Guti as he moved forward with support from teammates.
Beccacece’s preferred lineup included Aragonese in place of Fidel, while Guti’s influence faded as the first half wore on. The decisive exchanges came from a misdirected attempt by Morente and Guti, and a long-range effort from Alex Garcia, who replaced the injured Borja García and tried to surprise Werner from distance.
Despite Elche’s early pressure, Girona continued to menace and found their opening goal just before the break. A mistake in the Elche defense allowed Castellanos to head a precise finish from Toni Villa’s cross, giving the Catalans a 1-0 lead at the interval. Werner held firm to deny a sharper snapshot, preserving the chance for a comeback that never fully materialized.
Castellanos’ header appeared to catch Elche flat-footed as the teams retreated to the locker rooms. The ball found the far corner and left Elche chasing a trail they could not close before the whistle. Girona’s rhythm grew after the restart, with further pressure testing Elche’s resolve as the home side sought a second goal to seal the match.
Good start suppressed by 2-0
Beccacece wired his substitutions, bringing on Lirola and Collado, as well as Palacios and Raúl Guti, hoping to spark a leveler. Yet Elche found their control reined in by Girona’s cohesive pressing and precise passing. Collado and Gumbau anchored the middle, while Pere Milla contributed an intelligent back-heel that almost unlocked the defense, but the attempt drifted wide of the goal.
The Barça-loaned playmaker showed promise early on, forcing a testing strike that Gazzaniga repelled with a sharp left-footed save. John nearly converted the rebound, but Arnau ensured the danger remained at bay. The pattern repeated: Girona kept Elche in check, limiting clean chances and exploiting gaps on counterattacks that doubled the visitors’ vulnerability as the clock ran down.
As the game wore on, Girona increased the tempo and added another goal through Oriol Romeu from outside the box, left-footed and precise, sealing the result. The hosts’ discipline and finishing margins underscored a match that left Beccacece’s team short of ideas and numbers late in the contest.
There were more changes near the end for both sides, but neither could shift the balance. A late red card for Eze Ponce added to the evening’s tension, rounding off a tough visit for Elche. The final whistle confirmed Girona’s 2-0 victory in front of 11,114 spectators at Montilivi.
Gorno: Girona lined up with Gazzaniga, Arnau, Bueno, Juanpe, Javi Hernández, Oriol Romeu, Tsyhankov, Iván Martín, Borja García, Toni Villa and Castellanos. Elche fielded Werner, Palacios, Mascarell, Bigas, Clerc, John, Gumbau, Raúl Guti, Pere Milla, Boyé, and Morente. Goals: Castellanos 44, Oriol Romeu 70. Referee: Jorge Figueroa Vazquez. Venue: Montilivi, with 11,114 in attendance.