It is by no means a definitive step. Nor is the pillow too wide. But the victories like the one tasted yesterday in Montilivi are those that leave a good aftertaste in the mouth and, above all, serve to pave a little more the way to the playoffs, the goal with capital letters of a Girona that re-add three by three. Watching Cristhian Stuani celebrate his sixteenth goal of the season, twenty minutes from the end, the general opinion was that victory against Oviedo was on its way. But that 2-0 advantage was as brief as the general suffering of the last stretch, with an added boo to the referee, which took the more than 4,000 spectators who fell to the stadium. Victory with brilliant minutes, especially the first half hour; also with some gaps and moments of inaccuracy. But in the end, a victory that leaves behind a direct rival such as the Asturian team, and that strengthens those of Michel, still immersed in a calendar full of teams at the top of the standings. The best time to confirm the desire and ambition to make the third consecutive promotion, hoping that this time, the outcome will be better than the previous two.
They were just two points from the last nine. A couple of draws and a defeat. Enough to keep treading the playoff spots. Not enough to dream of going up to Primera without going through any tolls. But with days still ahead, no one had thrown in the towel at Montilivi. The message has been leaked. To go “game by game” and also to at least embrace sixth place without letting it slip. To consolidate this scenario, there is nothing better than beating Oviedo, one of the many teams that come from behind, without being too far away, determined to do the trick. It was achieved, with more suffering than anyone would have imagined, especially seeing the staging. Because Girona, from the start, was a bulldozer. He gave no choice to his rival, surprised, overwhelmed, stunned. Not only did it take eight minutes to get ahead of Michel’s team, but he set such a high pace that no one could follow him. Arrivals and opportunities followed one another and it was only the passage of time and the tweaks of Ziganda that slowed the bleeding.
Baena’s awakening
One week ago, after a draw in Butarque, Míchel had acknowledged in the press room that one of his most decisive players, Álex Baena, was far from his best and that he was working to get there again as soon as possible. . Message captured by the player, who yesterday made a real display until he ran out of gas. Along with the finest Borja García of this season, from the middle of the field forward, Girona crossed out the excellence. The ball was coming and going at a dizzying speed, crossing the lines of a disjointed Oviedo, with Jairo going up on the left over and over again. Baena was in charge of finishing and in nine minutes he had already tried it three times. In the first, Femenías refused his blow. In the second, he shot very close to the post. And in the third, towards the hut. In an effort to secure the ball, he dropped the ball at 8 – 1 after 80 minutes. The thing promised.
The attack on the thousand wonders was working and it was a matter of seeing if the defense also came out, with some patches forced due to the loss of Bernardo, sanctioned. Míchel’s Ramon Terrats had to be helped off the pitch as an injury meant he was unable to finish the game. This, at least during the first act, while waiting for a Borja Bastón who never appeared. Yes, Luismi did, from time to time, to get the ball rolling. Or Jimmy, the only one who dared to rub the tie. The clearance was as good as the shot, but there was Juan Carlos to cover with success. It is true that Oviedo had lost its sleep and was treading more on the opposite field. But Girona had spent a good number of minutes dominating, chopping stone and making the spectators laugh. Just what Ziganda did not like, who changed the pattern: Luismi became the third center and this slowed down a bit at home, enhancing the virtues of his team, which further multiplied its intensity exceeded the rest.
Borja Sánchez also came on for the defense. The avalanche of games and opportunities, in the second half, was no longer what it had been seen in the first bars. That seemed buried. Impossible to keep up with such a high pace, even though the descent was so sudden that it was even surprising. Borja García was the replacement. Samu Saiz was the replacement. Piece by piece. And the stopwatch that was going on, not knowing very well how it would end. Cristhian Stuani seemed to be floating in the air as he elegantly headed in to make the score 1 – 0 after a corner kick that was nicely executed by. It was 2-0 and 71. It was a mistake to relax and more, with Borja Sánchez in a state of grace. Jimmy’s long pass traveled to him. Without much opposition, the 10 had time to control the ball and put it on the long post, without being able to get a Juan Carlos who, in the 77, flew to avoid a tie. Montilivi did not have them all. Michel, either. In five minutes, Valery, Bustos, Kébé and Juncà entered. And so the discount was reached, where Arnau Martínez decided that enough was enough. He made the defense of Oviedo run wild. Basement, irrigation and the public who did not believe it. And then, sweeping the area, without the referee wanting to know anything, when the penalty seemed to be sung. The game was dying and with it the options of an Oviedo that, despite hanging the ball in desperation, did not succeed. Girona smiles, winning again and taking another step towards the goal.
