Girona FC staged a dramatic comeback against Valencia this Saturday, riding the inspiration of Cristhian Stuani, the Uruguayan striker who scored twice to push his tally to six goals in his last fifteen appearances. The comeback left Valencia stunned even as Hugo Duro had given the visitors an early lead.
Valencia started ahead, but Girona pressed relentlessly, and the Catalan side found their equalizer just before halftime. The second half swung back and forth, with Girona pushing to seize control and Valencia looking to hold firm. The turning point arrived late in the game when Stuani struck twice in quick succession, first in the 82nd minute and then again in the 88th, sealing a memorable 2-1 victory for Girona.
The win extended Girona’s unbeaten run to seven matches and kept them firmly in the fight for a Champions League berth, while Valencia lingered in a difficult patch of form, stuck on three matches without a win. Girona’s triumph also meant that they sit as leaders once again, pending Real Madrid’s result later in the day. Montilivi was alive with energy as fans witnessed their team edge closer to their best league finish in recent seasons.
From the opening whistle, Girona pursued the initiative with intent. They controlled possession and dictated the tempo, at times exceeding seventy percent in the early stages. The home team threatened through quick ball movement and accurate crosses, even as Valencia looked to hit on the counter when possible. Injury initially disrupted Girona, with Yangel Herrera forced off early, yet Pablo Torre’s introduction helped reinforce their attacking plan and preserved the momentum they sought to build.
The match saw a lot of goal-mouth action and defensive resilience. Valencia’s defense held firm at times, but Girona continued to probe through wings and central channels. Early on, Fran Pérez looked sharp on the flank and created danger for Girona with a diagonal effort that narrowly missed. The equalizer arrived from a well-worked sequence following a free kick, and although the early celebrations were tempered by a marginal offside, the message was clear: Girona intended to press for more.
In the second half, Valencia attempted to respond by reorganizing and pressing higher. Mamardashvili produced crucial saves to deny Girona, and Aleix García tested him with two powerful strikes from distance and inside the box. Yet Girona remained compact, with Aleix García and Sávio linking effectively on the flanks to stretch Valencia’s defense and create chances. The visitors remained opportunistic but found the Girona defense well-drilled and difficult to breach.
As Girona continued their assault, the decisive moments materialized in quick succession. Yan Couto’s cross provided Stuani with a gift-wrapped chance, and the Uruguayan did not let it slip. He timed his runs perfectly, beating the offside trap and tucking the ball past the Valencia goalkeeper. With the clock moving into the 88th minute, Couto delivered again from the right, and Stuani completed the scoring with another clinical finish to seal the rally and crown a night of determined resilience.
Girona celebrated a significant milestone, increasing their points total by twenty-one compared with the previous season after just fifteen league fixtures. Montilivi buzzed with the prospect of more historic nights as the team continued their ascent toward a high-placed finish in La Liga.
Data sheet:
2 – Girona FC: Gazzaniga; Èric, David López (Stuani, min. 75), Blind, Miguel; Herrera (Pablo Torre, min. 13, Yan Couto, min. 81), Aleix García; Tsygankov, Iván Martín (Portu, min. 82), Sávio; Dovbyk.
1 – Valencia CF: Mamardashvili, Thierry, Camira, Gabriel Paulista, Yarek (Jesús Vázquez, min. 89); Foulquier (Amallah, min. 84), Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Fran Pérez (Diakhaby, min. 67); Diego López (Canós, min. 84) and Hugo Duro (Yaremchuk, min. 84).
Goals: 1-0, min. 56: Hugo Duro. 1-1, min. 82: Stuani. 2-1, min. 88: Stuani.
Referee: Iglesias Villanueva (Galician committee). Local standout performances: Blind (min. 37), Yan Couto (min. 42) and Sávio (min. 90+2). Visitor notable mentions: Yarek (min. 61), Hugo Duro (min. 77). Canós and Gabriel warned Paulista (min. 90+2). 90+6).
Attendance: The fifteenth-day La Liga EA Sports clash drew 13,343 fans to the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi.
Related posts:
The goalscorers of Lionel Scaloni’s cycle in the Argentina national team Girona overpower Mallorca in a 5-3 La Liga thriller to top the table Girona Edges Sevilla 2-1 at Montilivi, Extending Unbeaten Run Girona edges Celta Vigo with dramatic 91st-minute strike Girona advances as Míchel Sánchez’s side dominates the Copa del Rey clash with Rayo Vallecano Girona and Osasuna settle for a 1-1 draw amid tense LaLiga contest Eibar edge Girona in first leg of promotion playoff semifinal Girona seals late win vs Valladolid with Romeu’s 88th-minute header Girona’s 6-2 Victory Sparks a European Dream and a Tough Path to Safety Girona-Celta Vigo: La Liga Clash Ends in Narrow Result Girona Triumphs 3-0 at Montilivi as Herrera and Stuani Lead the Charge Elche-Girona Copa del Rey: 2-0 Outcome and Key Moments