What a year for Girona. For the memory. As real as it was implausible at first. You have to pinch yourself to believe that a club with an austere idiosyncrasy, at least until very recently, has come to rub shoulders with the elite, with the greats of Europe. An unexpected gift of those that football gives from time to time. An unprecedented success since the founding of the club in 1930. 2024 is already at the top, a long way from the rest of the years, in the almost centenary Girona entity.
The excitement of the first months, still with disbelief at the outcome of last season, gave way to euphoria thanks to a more than deserved glory. Happiness, that permanent smile on the fans, settled in Montilivi. The last few weeks, however, have returned Gironins to a more mundane reality. Míchel’s men, ravaged by injuries for much of this season, have endured the tough schedule of three competitions, now practically only the League. But at the end of 2024, Girona had a joy against Valladolid, the last of many in a historic year. After six games without victory, the people from Girona added three points against their parish, with goals from David López, Abel Ruiz and Danjuma, which allow them to dream of Europe again in a hopeful 2025.
Girona dominated the match at all times against an opponent who had no clear chance
Míchel was worried in the preview about the performance of his pupils, especially after the disaster in Mallorca. The team had been languishing for weeks, increasingly predictable and slow in attack and more fragile in defense. The Vallecas coach demanded more aggressiveness and his players did their homework against a favorable rival: in relegation, with the club in a sale process and with a new coach.
The people of Girona did not know which team they were going to find in the first game with Diego Cocca leading Pucela. The mystery was soon resolved, with the Valladolid residents retreating from the local good work. Girona started with determination and verticality in circulation, also with mobility, while in defense they applied themselves in coverage and duels. Pucela looked for an accurate counterattack without luck and made a mistake when they tried high pressure. The first chance came from Asprilla, with a shot that bounced off a defender that Hein took out of the corner, and Blind followed, but he failed to finish in the area. The people from Girona improved in all facets, except for their success in front of goal, their great pending subject. Abel Ruiz, starter after more than two months, was in charge of correcting that gap and in his first action in the area he claimed a penalty for slapping Bah in the face. González Fuertes did not see it that way and even warned the forward, lying on the grass waiting for a VAR call that did not come.
Abel Ruiz, starter after two months, scored his first goal since September and Danjuma debuted as a scorer
Lacking aim, fortune allied itself with the Gironins. Miguel took a foul on the edge of the area and the ball, which was going to the goalkeeper’s post, was deflected with his thigh by David López to the opposite corner. The goal was disallowed in the first instance due to offside, the VAR did intervene this time to certify that Iván Sánchez, on the ground to avoid a low shot, was further behind. Luck continued on the local side in the second goal, this time in the form of a mistake by Hein. Abel Ruiz headed in and the goalkeeper, defeated very quickly on the ground, cleared the post incorrectly before the ball bounced off the wood and into the goal. The striker’s third goal and his first since September 1.
Girona’s Dutch striker Arnaut Danjuma celebrates his first goal for Girona.
After the restart, the monopoly of the local ball continued against a harmless opponent, who had a hard time testing Gazzaniga. With no threat from Valladolid, Girona maintained control, but slowed down in attack. A context that favored the first and only shot on the visitors’ goal, by Mario Martín from afar. A screaming Míchel reproached his team for their action. The team reacted with a collective play that ended in a good shot by Bryan Gil and a better save by Hein. The red and whites continued trying until the prize was won in the final stretch by Danjuma, who had recently joined, who made his debut as a Gironí scorer with a low shot in the area. With the match resolved, the fans beat the cold to wave before the final whistle concluded the match and a year that in Montilivi will extend beyond its 366 days. 2024 is already eternal for Girona.
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Technical sheet:
Girona, 3 – Valladolid, 0
Girona: Gazzaniga; Arnau, David López, Krejci, Blind; Iván Martín (John Solís, min. 87); Asprilla (Danjuma, min. 71), Van de Beek (Herrera, min. 83), Miguel, Bryan (Portu, min. 83); and Abel Ruiz (Stuani, min. 72).
Real Valladolid: Hein; Lucas Rosa, Juma Bah, Javi Sánchez, Comert, David Torres; Iván Sánchez (Amallah, min. 61), Stanko Juric (Moro, min. 75), Mario Martín, Anuar; and Marcos André (Arnu, min. 88).
Goals: 1-0, min. 31: David Lopez. 2-0, min. 39: Abel Ruiz. 3-0, min. 81: Danjuma.
Referee: González Fuertes (Asturian committee). He admonished the locals Abel Ruiz (min. 24), Miguel (min. 54) and Iván Martín (min. 60) and the visitor Iván Sánchez (min. 30).
Incidents: Match of the 18th day of LaLiga EA Sports played in front of 9,534 fans in Montilivi, in Girona.
#Happy #historic #year #Girona
