Girona accelerated its push in Segunda División with a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Albacete at Montilivi Stadium, securing its fourth win in the last five matches.
The forward received a rousing ovation from the Montilivi faithful upon stepping onto the pitch in the 84th minute as a substitute for Carles Pérez.
Manager Quique Álvarez guided a squad heavily depleted by approximately ten absences resulting from international duty call-ups and muscular injuries. Despite ceding the run of play and much of the possession to the visitors, Girona capitalized on rare first-half openings to settle the contest before the interval.
Early Strikes Settle First Half at Montilivi
Girona’s breakthrough arrived early when Abel Ruiz struck in the 6th minute, putting the hosts ahead 1-0. The goal provided critical relief for Ruiz and fellow summer arrival Donny van de Beek, both of whom have faced persistent scrutiny from supporters measuring their performances against high expectations following the club’s historic Champions League qualification campaign and the departures of previous stars like Savinho and Artem Dovbyk.
Van de Beek doubled the advantage just before halftime, scoring in the 43rd minute to make it 2-0. For an anxious home crowd wrestling with the reality of competing in Spain’s second tier after years of elite-level success, the two quick goals offered a temporary absolution for players frequently bearing the brunt of fan frustration.
Gazzaniga and the Woodwork Preserve the Clean Sheet
While Girona took its chances, Albacete mounted a fierce offensive response that ultimately yielded nothing. The penultimate-class visitors peppered the Girona penalty area with numerous attempts, hitting the goalpost twice and forcing goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga into a string of prodigious stops.
Albacete manager Alberto González saw his side compete with immense pride despite their precarious position in the league table. The visitors created enough dangerous sequences that neutral observers noted even a draw would scarcely have rewarded their attacking efforts, but a combination of wayward finishing and Gazzaniga’s sharp reflexes kept the clean sheet intact.
Match Details and Lineups
The match official, Saúl Ais of the Valencian Committee, brandished yellow cards to Albacete’s Valverde in the 52nd minute and Fran Gámez in the 67th. The visitors finished the match a man down after Ortuño collected two yellow cards, resulting in a red card in the 91st minute following his initial booking in the 47th minute.
Girona lineup deployed: Gazzaniga guarded the posts behind defenders Boñar, Francés, David López, and Àlex Moreno (who was replaced by Morey at the 84th minute); the midfield featured Izan, Morante, and Carles Pérez (with Portu taking over for Pérez in the 84th), while the attacking trio consisted of Van de Beek (swapped for Mumin in the 66th), Sarasa (off for Unai at the 77th), and Abel Ruiz (who gave way to Arango in the 66th).
Albacete lineup deployed: Marín started in goal alongside a backline of Fran Gámez (substituted by Albarracín in the 74th), Lluís López, Neva, and Medina; the midfield included Pacheco (who exited for Róber at the 74th), Javier Villar (replaced by Ortuño at halftime in the 46th), and Corpas; rounding out the team were Da Silva (who made way for Higinio in the 66th), Soberón, and Álex Rubio.
With this victory, Girona maintains upward momentum in the standings ahead of their next scheduled league fixture.
