Girona take Liga lead back, Atletico move to third
MADRID: Shock Spanish title challengers Girona returned to the top of La Liga with a 1-0 at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid climbed third, above struggling champions Barcelona on goal difference, with a comfortable 2-0 win at home against Valencia.
Michel Sanchez’s Girona moved one point clear of Real Madrid, who beat Las Palmas on Saturday, although the Catalan team have played one more match.
Portu finished well in the 20th minute to send Girona ahead in a match they largely dominated but could not make safe by finding a second goal.
Rafa Benitez’s Celta sit two points above the relegation zone in 17th place.
Girona, in the top flight for only the fourth season in their history, continue to battle with Spain’s giants for La Liga.
“We knew we had to take advantage of the chances we had, in the first half we made a lot of chances to score, they had some too,” said Girona winger Portu.
“At this stage of the league the important t hing is three points and competing.”
Yangel Herrera hammered into the side netting as an early warning and Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita kept out an Artem Dovbyk header.
The Ukrainian, La Liga’s joint top goalscorer with Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham on 14 goals, came close on other occasions but could not add to his tally.
Girona’s Paulo Gazzaniga saved well from Oscar Mingueza before his team took the lead.
Miguel Gutierrez found Portu, who manoeuvered well and stroked home at the near post.
Viktor Tsygankov fired over after being teed up by his compatriot Dovbyk at the end of a slick team move.
Celta threatened through Jorgen Strand Larsen, who headed against the crossbar, but that was as close as they came to an equaliser.
Girona tightened up defensively in a hard-fought second half and Celta could not carve out any clear chances as the clock ticked down.
Atletico eased above champions Barcelona with Samuel Lino and Memphis Depay on target against Valencia, eighth.
Lino, who played at Valencia on loan last season, finished clinically after Antoine Griezmann found him with a superb pass. Depay added the second in the 57th minute with a diving header from Nahuel Molina’s cross, after midfielder Koke sprayed the ball out to the right flank.
“We controlled the game very well as a whole,” said satisfied Atletico coach Diego Simeone.
Athletic Bilbao, fifth, were held to a 0-0 draw at Cadiz, while Sevilla failed to secure a home win for the eighth time in a row in the league, with a 1-1 draw against Osasuna.
RESULTS
Celta Vigo 0 Girona 1 (Portu 20); Cadiz 0 Athletic Bilbao 0; Sevilla 1 (Romero 24) Osasuna 1 (Budimir 55); Atletico Madrid 2 (Lino 45+5, Depay 57) Valencia 0