Girona Triumphs 3-0 at Montilivi as Herrera and Stuani Lead the Charge
A goal from Venezuela’s Angel Herrera and a brace from Uruguay’s Cristian Stuani secured Girona’s first victory of the season, 3-0 over Getafe on La Liga’s second matchday at Montilivi. The Catalan club controlled possession, boasting 65 percent, and showed enough luck to extend their early-season ambitions to four points from the first six available.
After a hard-fought draw with Real Sociedad (1-1) in San Sebastián, Getafe arrived seeking a breakthrough in Girona. The Madrid side, with Borja Mayoral stepping in for the suspended Jaime Mata, created the initial danger when David López sent a ball through to Latasa, but Girona struck first. A 12th-minute goal stood after a initially offside call prompted by referee decisions and a subsequent VAR review three minutes later. Sávio Moreira pivoted cleverly and fed a pass into the area, where Herrera rose to meet it with a powerful header past David Soria.
Getafe grew more adventurous as the clock ticked on and leveled the contest in the 20th minute. Carles Aleñá touched the ball briefly before Damián Suárez’s low shot skimmed the left post after a deflection, keeping the scoreline balanced momentarily. Yet Girona’s early pressure yielded outcomes that favored the hosts as the half wore on.
In the early stages, Getafe picked up four yellow cards within the first 30 minutes—Latasa, Mayoral, Stefan Mitrović, and Bordalás—reflecting their frustration with the officiating. Bordalás urged composure from his players as the match moved forward. The home side’s hold on the game intensified, and their ball control approached three-quarters of the game, especially in the opening half hour. At the hydration break, Getafe started to press higher, adding intensity in a bid to sting back. Before the interval, Gastón Álvarez challenged Girona with a pair of header attempts from Mayoral and Latasa and a shot from Juan Iglesias in stoppage time that kept the visitors hopeful.
Coming out after the break, Getafe pressed with renewed ambition, yet Girona’s efficiency and quality proved decisive. David Soria denied Stuani with a smart save against Viktor Tsygankov’s cross at the hour, but the goalkeeper could not prevent Girona from extending their lead five minutes later as the second goal found the net. The moment crystallized when a precision delivery from Miguel Gutiérrez from the left found Stuani, who calmly converted to mark the start of his seventh season with Girona on the scoresheet.
The contest was effectively settled when Girona struck again in the 65th minute. A misjudged clearance by the Getafe goalkeeper opened a window for Sávio to deliver a middle ball, and Stuani was perfectly positioned to slot it away for his second of the match, sealing a 3-0 win for the home side. The scoreboard reflected Girona’s clinical finish on a day when Getafe’s defense and attack both failed to respond with equal force.
During the match, Getafe had opportunities to close the gap. Iglesias threatened late in the first half, while Gazzaniga made routine saves as the visitors sought a way back into the game. A bold effort from Artem Dovbyk, brought on to replace Stuani, could not break the stalemate as Soria stood tall in the closing stages. The game closed with Girona in the ascendancy, their 3-0 triumph a testament to both precise finishing and disciplined defense, complemented by a strong midfield performance that kept Getafe at arm’s length. The match highlighted Girona’s home-ground momentum and their growing confidence under Míchel Sánchez, signaling a promising start to the season as they push for European relevance in the domestic campaign.
In a social media highlight from the afternoon, a clip circulated showing the decisive moment when Stuani converted the first goal, a reminder of the Uruguayan striker’s reliability in front of goal and Girona’s growing attacking threat. The post underlined the level of clinical finishing that defined the match and reinforced Girona’s status as a team capable of competing at a high level in La Liga this season. [Citation: DAZN Spain coverage of the match]