San Mamés impresses. The stands, even empty, impose respect. The stadium seems to have its own soul, as if the echoes of the thousand battles of the old field would rumble, practically located in the same coordinates. Its verticality. Its loudness. That roof that the same wraps to his who stalks the rivals. The enclosure reaches another level when about 50,000 faithful take a seat to serve the Athleticzale cause. From architectural monument to temple, to football cathedral. A lion lair happens to be when Athletic Club players jump. And for Girona it was a demanding test to know where to put the limit in the classification of the League. An exam that the White-Vermells resulted in a resounding suspense that moves them away from the European revalidation. The Catalan team did not have its personality with a regular ball, devoured by the rojiblanca intensity, and succumbed to Oihan Sancet’s hat trick.
Míchel opted for the beginning of the same eleven that shone and suffered equally in the victory against Las Palmas, but finally had to do without Arnau, loss of last minute due to some discomfort in warming, and put French. On the local side, Nico Williams were missing, strut in attack and low due to a muscular problem. The absence of the end was not noticed.
The match began with the precedent of the Gerundense triumph in the first round, in turn the last league defeat of the Bilbao in a duel where three penalties failed, some repeated, and fell with a bit in the addition. Maybe grown by that memory, visitors took the start duel handle. A mirage. He was able to take advantage of the moment Tsygankov, who instead of Chutar in the area, after a great transition, gave a bad pass to Van de Beek. But little by little, like the lion who is harassing his victim, Athletic was building his ambush. De Marcos warned with a first Franco auction in the area.
Girona was increasingly caged in its area, at the mercy of centers and corners. The Gironins had lost control, especially Iván Martín, more erratic than usual in their native Bilbao. In the nth local corner he combed the Guruzeta and Williams ball, after getting rid of the brand of Iván Martín, made Gazzaniga show off in a mouthpiece.
The Bilbao goal was intuited and Miguel provided the best occasion to Athletic with a stomp in the area to be Jauregizar, reviewed by Sánchez Martínez in the VAR. He took the Williams ball, but perhaps influenced by the memory of his ruling in Montilivi of penalties, it was Finally Sancet who opened the score from eleven meters. He roared the fans and those of Valverde took advantage of the Arreón. Gazzaniga made another saving stop at Marcos’s shot, but already in the addition of the first half he could not do anything in another header, free of Sancet brand. Second of the midfielder after great high pressure and a better played play in Berenguer.
After the resumption, the problems multiplied, replaced Miguel by injury. Girona did not go from good manners, unable and innocent in attack. The first and last one between Palos was a shy shot by Bryan Gil. Just tickle in the belly of the lions, very comfortable in the green. Meanwhile, the public had fun and celebrated the exciting debut of the Sannadi signing, only eclipsed in the final stretch by a Sancet that still lacked a last bite.
The midfielder was able to do the third in a against, slow in the definition, but then he did not forgive a bad ball between Gazzaniga and Solís. Sancet rounded his great afternoon by picing the ball before the exit of the Argentine goalkeeper, desperate and faithful reflection of a Girona that, except for radical change, must emphasize its demanding European aspirations
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