Girona continues to be sweet in a tense RCDE Stadium

Girona won (0-2) against Espanyol this Friday in their visit to the RCDE Stadium on matchday 20 of LaLiga EA Sports to maintain their streak in 2026 and move away from the relegation zone, while the locals extended their slump with three games in a row without winning.

The Catalan derby was tense and entertaining, with one half for each team, and two visiting goals from penalties, converted by Vladyslav Vanat in stoppage time in both halves. Both actions were called for by Manolo González’s team and the match ended hotly, with part of the local crowd paying for their tension with visiting goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who was hit by a water bottle on the back, near his head.

Míchel’s men, who have 24 points to start thinking about new objectives for the second round, led the way in the first half, capable of moving the ball and generating danger despite the intensity that the ‘perico’ team put into their actions. However, Espanyol, fifth with 34, had no option in attack and the visitors were able to take the lead with Viktor Tsygankov and Vanta until he made it 0-1 before the break.

The penalty, and the rebound, were stopped by Marko Dmitrovic, but without at least one foot on the line, so the Ukrainian had a second attempt that he did not forgive. Omar El Hilali’s maximum penalty came shortly after the locals demanded a penalty from Roberto Fernández. In the second half, Espanyol improved and it was Girona who had to contain, with chances from Leandro Cabrera and Jofre who greatly improved the locals as a catalyst after the break.

Míchel’s men held up well and threatened on the counterattack in the final minutes with Yaser Asprilla. Precisely, the Colombian forced the second maximum penalty, contact although slight, which Vanat converted again. The tension of a second act with a lot of friction, and the referee decisions, ended up exploding in the stands with the throwing of objects that hit Gazzaniga, this time without the nets that were placed against FC Barcelona.