Nobody hides in Girona anymore, least of all their coach, who was always very direct and ambitious: the challenge is to qualify for the Champions League. The victory against Osasuna supports the aspirations of Míchel and the Montilivi club. With ten games left to finish the championship, the ceiling is second place in the table after the lead was the driving force of the first round of the League. Aiming for runners-up allowed them to once again surpass Barcelona and leave the fifth-placed team 12 points away—Athletic plays this Sunday in Las Palmas.
2
Gazzaniga, David López, Eric Garcia, Daley Blind, Aleix García, Miguel Gutierrez, Tsygankov (Yan Couto, min. 63), Iván Martín (Jastin García, min. 91), Portu (Jhon Solís, min. 80), Sávio ( Pablo Torre, min. 91) and Dovbyk (Stuani, min. 80)
0
Herrera, Unai García, Jorge Herrando, Catena, Aimar Oroz, Mojica, Jon Moncayola, Jesús Areso (Pablo Ibáñez, min. 88), Lucas Torró (Moi Gómez, min. 69), Rubén García (Raul García de Haro, min. 69) and Ante Budimir (Arnáiz, min. 88)
Goals 1-0 min. 12: Portu. 2-0 min. 86: Sávio.
Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer
Yellow cards Iván Martín (min. 34), Jorge Herrando (min. 44), Eric Garcia (min. 57), Portu (min. 67), Jesús Areso (min. 72) and Moi Gómez (min. 94)
Osasuna had nothing to say about Girona’s deployment, very calm and reliable in defense, reinforced by the return of Blind, and selective and applied in attack, always stimulated by Savinho. The return to Montilivi was therapeutic for Míchel’s boys in a key match after the loss experienced on a foreign field since the defeat in Madrid.
Girona’s style book, in any case, is non-negotiable, regardless of the results, which have been adverse in the last outings to the Bernabéu, San Mamés and Mallorca. The pass as the thread of the game is a constant in Míchel’s team. The ball is not raffled, it is played from area to area, from Eric García to Portu after passing through Tsygankov. The centre-back’s touch was as accurate as the Ukrainian striker’s filtered pass and the midfielder’s unmarking, infallible against Sergio Herrera. Portu’s play between the lines dismantled the three central defense set up by Arrasate.
In favor of the score, Míchel’s team did more to control the match than to enter the Osasuna area. The Navarrese began to gain meters on the field and to have the ball due to the concern of the Montilivi fans. The rain also made precision difficult and physically demanding on the players, a context that favored the Navarrese, who were more goal-scoring and finishing, although Mojica and Moncayola’s shots did not find Gazzaniga’s goal. Girona was grateful for the arrival of the break for Osasuna’s last push.
The panorama did not change after the restart because Arrasate’s team lacked depth to disarm Míchel’s team. The white and red forwards were too far from Herrera’s goal. So the match went slowly, without spikes in play or incidents, with the coaches more spectators than interventionists, until Savinho took the ball and his run was stopped by Catena. The referee did not whistle anything nor did the VAR warn of a penalty to the outcry of the fans, already worried about the injury of Tsygankov, Portu’s assistant.
Although Osasuna tried to load its offensive line in the substitution wheel, the most unbalanced player was Savinho, international for Brazil along with Yan Couto, also on the scene after replacing Tsygankov. The scorer Budimir could not with Blind nor could Dovbyk reach shooting positions. The score was at the expense of an action, or if you want, an error or an accident, rather than a collective play due to the lack of football style of Osasuna and also of Girona, less happy and attractive than in previous games, pending in the final stretch of Stuani.
The Uruguayan missed a very clear shot and then prevented Savinho’s goal from being validated with his block. The Brazilian, however, did not give up but persevered until scoring a great goal that closed a wonderful day of recovery for Girona. Nothing better to respond to the pressure than an unquestionable 2-0 victory.
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