Home LALIGA LaLiga: Girona Hold Rayo to Draw, Survival Fight Goes to the Wire

LaLiga: Girona Hold Rayo to Draw, Survival Fight Goes to the Wire

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Girona Vs Rayo
Girona’s relegation hopes alive after dramatic draw at Rayo

Rayo looked set to win after Alemao’s 86th-minute goal, but Girona substitute Cristhian Stuani struck late to share the points in Madrid.


Girona earned a crucial 1-1 draw at Rayo thanks to Stuani’s header, staying two points above the drop zone with two LaLiga games to go...


Girona boosted their survival chances with a gritty 1-1 draw away at Rayo Vallecano, a side still chasing European qualification.


Rayo came into the game full of confidence after reaching their first-ever European final last week. The clear skies over Madrid seemed to match their mood, and Inigo Perez’s team quickly looked to use that momentum to put pressure on their relegation-threatened opponents.


Although he won’t feature in the UEFA Conference League final against Crystal Palace later this month, Fran Perez was keen to make his mark. The winger was Rayo’s main attacking threat in the opening 15 minutes at Estadio de Vallecas.


He stayed dangerous over the next quarter-hour, firing just wide before delivering a pinpoint cross for Sergio Camello, whose header also missed the target. Girona had their first real chance in the 38th minute when Viktor Tsygankov forced a save from Augusto Batalla. Right before half-time, Camello tested Paulo Gazzaniga with a strike that drew an excellent one-handed stop, keeping the scores level at the break.


Girona had let in 14 goals in the first 15 minutes after half-time this season, more than any other LaLiga side, so this time they opted to attack rather than sit back.


The tactic didn’t pay off right away, with Tsygankov blazing a volley over the bar when he really should have hit the target. Even so, Míchel’s game plan looked to be working in the 56th minute when referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez pointed to the spot after Pathe Ciss seemed to handle Alex Moreno’s pass. Girona’s frustration grew moments later though, as the referee overturned the penalty after checking the pitchside monitor.


Rayo didn’t threaten again until the 76th minute, when Florian Lejeune’s powerful free-kick was well saved at the near post by Gazzaniga. The former Tottenham keeper couldn’t do anything four minutes from time, though, as Alemão stuck out a leg to divert a teammate’s shot home and give the hosts the lead.




In the end it was the substitutes who made the difference. Cristhian Stuani met Tsygankov’s cross with a header in the 90th minute to equalise and spark wild celebrations on the Girona bench.


Girona’s stoppage-time equaliser kept Rayo from overtaking Real Sociedad in the Europa League spots. Even so, winning the Conference League final against Crystal Palace would make their league position irrelevant, as it would secure European qualification that way.




For Girona, their three-year run in LaLiga is still in jeopardy. The Blanquivermells sit just two points above the relegation zone with only two matches left to play.
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