Alaves 2-2 Girona
Even if both Alaves and Girona have been having relatively positive seasons in their own way, neither side were sitting comfortably on their way into a Monday night clash at Mendizorrotza. Despite Los Babazorros being solid throughout, they were just two points above the relegation zone, and Girona themselves were coming off the back of beating Barcelona, but possessed just a five-point cushion.
Hence their tie had the feel of real pressure when it got underway, both side looking to make their mark. Alaves struck early though, a ball across the box from Youssef Enriquez finding Lucas Boye at the far post, and he had a simple finish to swing things in their favour after just five minutes. Girona came on strong thereafter, but it was Boye who had the next clear opening, this time unable to strike a cutback from the right cleanly.
Michel Sanchez could not have been disappointed with his side’s response though either, as they played assertive football at a good tempo. Just after the half hour mark, Axel Witsel got across the near post, and Vladyslav Vanat bundled in his flick on at the far post from a flick-on.
Azzedine Ounahi impact falls just short
If the first half had been a relatively open affair, both sides looked wiser to their opponents at the beginning of the second half. Alaves came out the blocks stronger, as Boye and Toni Martinez continued to attack crosses from wide. It wasn’t until the introduction of a returning Azzedine Ounahi in the 67th minute that the game took a more definitive turn though. He began finding space in the Alaves midfield, opening the game up for his teammates in the process. Six minutes after he came on, he found a brilliant pass for Viktor Tsygankov between three defenders in the middle of the box. The Ukrainian came onto the ball at pace and across the box, rounding Antonio Sivera with his second touch, and hitting the open net with his second.
At that point, Alaves had to throw caution to the wind, and Ounahi looked like he would prove decisive as Girona countered with purpose. The Moroccan midfielder, in inspired form, forced a stunning save from Sivera minutes later. Girona looked, if not comfortable, on the right track to seeing the game out in the final ten minutes, but with just two to go, Victor Parada flighted a cross in, and Boye beat Vitor Reis to it in the air, a powerful header that earned his side a point.
Both sides will feel that on a better day, the game was theirs to win, but the sequence of goals means the point will sit better with Alaves. They extend their cushion to three points, and Girona six, but both managers will no doubt be able to spin things positively. Michel can claim his side played enough football for more, a promising sign for the future, while Chacho Coudet will no doubt applaud his side for their battling spirit.
