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Girona CF moved to the top of La Liga with a stunning 4-2 victory over fellow Catalan side Barcelona.
Girona were pegged back seven minutes after taking the lead through Artem Dovbyk, thanks to a headed goal by Lewandowski.
Undaunted, the visitors took the lead again before halftime thanks to a strike from former Real Madrid player Miguel Gutierrez, before Valery added a third in the second half.
Despite Ilkay Gundogan’s late goal, Cristhian Stuani’s 95th-minute strike ended Barcelona’s hopes of salvaging a point.
With their first competitive win over Barcelona, the Blanquivermells have vaulted past Real Madrid into first place. Alongside, Barcelona is seven points behind in fourth.
Following Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw against Real Betis, Girona knew victory would propel them to the top of La Liga.
With the La Liga title on the line, the visitors caught their hosts off guard and took an early lead thanks to Dovbyk’s seventh league goal of the season.
Viktor Tsygankov pounced on Yan Couto’s perfectly weighted through ball, teeing up his compatriot to guide home the opening goal with the help of the post.
Girona CF vs FC Barcelona | LaLiga | Matchday16 of 38
Following an early setback, Barcelona quickly sought an equalizer, with Raphinha forcing Paulo Gazzaniga into a smart save from point-blank range.
Despite being denied, Raphinha was instrumental in Barcelona’s equalizer, swinging in a corner for Lewandowski to head in his ninth competitive goal of the season.
With the score leveled, both teams went in search of the game’s third goal, with Gutierrez drawing a finger-tip save from Inaki Pena before Joao Cancelo’s near-post strike was saved by Gazzaniga.
Gutierrez then caused another scare for Barcelona when he dragged the ball wide after being set up by Brazilian winger Savio.
The hosts ultimately ignored that warning shot, as Gutierrez drove into the box before firing past Pena at the near post to give Girona a vital half-time lead.
With his team trailing at the break, Frenkie de Jong tried his luck from distance early in the second period, forcing Gazzaniga into a save low down to his right.
As the game entered the final quarter, Xavi’s team came close through Gundogan, whose controlled effort sailed just past the post, much to the relief of the visitors.
While many teams would have concentrated on defending their lead, Girona added a third in the 81st minute.
Stuani flicked Gazzaniga’s long ball forward into the path of Valery, who moved past Jules Kounde and drilled his shot into the bottom corner.
With time running out, Gundogan gave the home side a glimmer of hope in stoppage time by thumping his left-footed strike past Girona’s outstretched goalkeeper.
Stuani, who tucked home from Savio’s lofted cross to clinch all three points and extend his side’s unbeaten run to ten competitive matches, restored the away team’s two-goal cushion.
