Valladolid continues to grow and climb to escape the relegation zones at the hands of Paulo Pezzolano. Against Girona he added his second victory, 7 points out of the last 9, with a solitary goal from Monchu Rodríguez that took him 7 points away from the first place that leads to Second. A Castilian triumph that prevents the Catalan team from closing their permanence almost definitively before hosting Real Madrid on Tuesday.
In the Nuevo Zorrilla, the most urgent took the cat to the water. Although, with blows, Girona would have deserved better luck, perhaps a draw, due to the multitude of chances they enjoyed to equalize. The clearest, a shot with the sole of Stuani in added time. The Uruguayan was the starter again after 10 days, since January 22.
Despite the defeat, Girona remains installed in the quiet zone, virtually saved, thanks to the four games they had accumulated without losing (2 wins and 2 draws), which had distanced them 10 points from relegation.
From a good start things went wrong for Girona, who suffered a painful setback when they were left in 9 minutes without the help of two of their best players; Toni Villa retired after 5 minutes due to a hard clash with Joaquín, which left the Murcian stunned and with a severe bruise on his knee (it could be serious), and four minutes later, Aleix García put his hand to his left thigh for a muscle injury that forced him to leave his post to Reinier.
Míchel Sánchez was desperate on the bench due to the double setback, which was added to the four casualties due to injury (David López, Ibra Kebé, Borja García and Yangel Herrera) and two due to suspension (Bueno and Castellanos).
Montilivi's team went into a state of torpor, stunned by the blow, and Valladolid was gaining ground. "Those injuries threw us off a bit," admitted Míchel. In an unfortunate action, a ball bounced back, Gonzalo Plata won the back of the Catalan defense on the right wing, put a low cross into the area and Monchu put his toe in advancing Tsygankov.
The 1-0 fueled the duel. Girona stretched with a poisoned long shot from full-back Javi Hernández that Masip deflected (m. 27) avoiding the tie, and immediately afterwards, Valladolid replied with a double chance, from Escudero with a low shot that Gazzaniga rejected (m. 28 ) and Kike Pérez with a missile that went wide by very little (m. 30).
The duel took on the aspect of a boxing match with an incessant exchange of blows. Girona launched two direct ones with intention, from Stuani (m. 34) who collided with Hongla's body, and from Juanpe (m. 37) at the turn, after Arnau's header was transferred. The Catalan team had taken a step forward and had settled in the Pucelano field in search of a draw.
In the second half the give and take was maintained. Gazzaniga avoided making it 2-0 with a good intervention, taking a hand from Larín's header (m. 53), but Girona enjoyed three good chances in a row (between m. 63 and 68), the best, by Reinier in a shot that Masip saved with his face. The Catalan tie was closer than the second Castilian goal.
With 13 minutes to go, Míchel played everything for everything, giving entry to Riquelme, Yan Couto and Artero. It didn't work. Valladolid maintained the type, which came to have again 2-0 in a one-on-one between Larin against Gazzaniga that the Canadian could not solve.
Girona had it in minute 93 in a corner served by Riquelme with a shot with the sole of Stuani's foot that Masip stopped on the goal line. It was the clearest chance for the Catalans.
Valladolid: Masip, Fresneda, El Yamiq (Javi Sanchez 63), Joaquin, Escudero (Luis Perez 71), Kike Perez, Hongla, Monchu (Aguado 71), Plata (Roque Mesa 91), Amallah (Machis 70) and Larin.
Girona: Gazzaniga, Arnau (Artero 77), Bernardo, Juanpe, Hernández, Oriol Romeu, Aleix García (Reinier 9), Toni Villa (Valery 5; Riquelme 77), Iván Martín (Couto 77), Tsygankov and Stuani.
Referee: Melero López (Colegio Andaluz). Yellow for Iván Martín from Girona, and Amallah from Valladolid
Goals: 1-0 Monchu (24).
Field: José Zorrilla, 21,033 spectators.
