Girona refuses to leave the top of the table thanks to a new comeback, this time against Valencia (2-1). The people from Girona appealed more than ever to the epic to turn around a goal from Hugo Duro in the last minutes after a clear mistake by David Garcia in defense. Stuani first and with the help of Mosquera later, culminating two great plays by Yan Couto on the wing, gave a victory that once again made Montilivi crazy in this historic season.
Míchel, faithful to his idea of not introducing too many changes – it is the team that makes the least rotations – once again had the best eleven play with the entry of David López and Artem Dovbyk, already fully recovered from their physical problems, although the presence of the Ukrainian It was more than doubtful after Míchel in the previous one assured that he would not play if he was not 100%.
But the truth is that Dobvyk showed that he was in full condition and immediately became the most dangerous man in the rival area.
Another of those who accused the load of minutes in this first stretch of the season, also with the national team, was the Venezuelan Yangel Herrera who was injured alone by pressing a ball in the offensive zone, when not even 10 minutes had been played. This time, Pablo Torre had almost the entire game ahead of him, however, substituted again before the end, his performance did not serve to cover the mouths of the most skeptical. At least the absolute dominance of ball possession helped him, since unlike the last game against Athletic, the Valencians completely gave up control of the game looking for some counterattack option like the one Fran Pérez had minutes later.
It had to be through a set piece that gave Girona's clearest chance in the first half, after a lateral foul by Aleix Garcia that Dobvyk sent into the back of the net. Iglesias Villanueva, however, disallowed the goal due to offside by David López who had touched the ball earlier. No Girona player had realized that he was in an illegal position. Neither did Yan Couto, who, on the bench, saw the yellow card to protest.
The Brazilian was one of those who came on as a refresher to turn around Valencia's 0-1 deficit at the start of the second half. A glaring error by David López in controlling a ball when he was the last man allowed Hugo Duro to steal his wallet, surpass him in speed and beat Gazzaniga. However, Girona did not give up and with Valencia even more closed, the entry of one more man in attack like Stuani, in place of the unfortunate David López, was decisive.
With Couto channeling almost all the offensive contribution, one of his crosses was poisoned in such a way that Stuani only had to appear from the far post to tie. And after 5 minutes, the local ambition was rewarded and Montilivi went crazy again when a cross, once again, from Couto to the penalty spot served so that between Stuani and his defender Mosquera they ended up putting the ball in the back of the goal (LaLiga gave the goal to the Uruguayan). Savinho, in a play by Portu on the right, scored the third, but the referee invalidated it due to Stuani's previous offside.
Girona: Gazzaniga, Eric Garcia, David López (Stuani 75), Blind, Miguel Gutiérrez, Yangel Herrera (Pablo Torre 13; Yan Couto 81), Aleix García; Tsygankov, Iván Martín (Portu 82), Sávio and Dovbyk.
Coach: Míchel Sánchez
Valencia: Mamardashvili, Thierry, Mosquera, Gabriel Paulista, Yarek (Jesus Vazquez 89), Foulquier (Amallah 84), Javi Guerra, Pepelu, Fran Perez (Diakhaby 67), Diego Lopez (Canos 84) and Hugo Duro (Yaremchuk 84).
Coach: Rubén Baraja
Referee: Iglesias Villanueva (Gallego). He warned locals Blind, Yan Couto and Sávio; and visitors Yarek, Hugo Duro and Gabriel Paulista.
Goals: 1-0 Hugo Duro (56); 1-1 Stuani (82); 2-1 Stuani (88).
Field: Montilivi, 13,343 spectators, best entry of the season.
