Stuani’s Late Penalty Secures Draw for Girona Against Espanyol in Catalan Derby

A late penalty from Cristhian Stuani ensured Girona walked away with a point from their fixture against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium, as Los Periquitos maintained their unbeaten streak at home, now stretching to eight matches (W3, D5).

Having suffered three consecutive defeats on the road in all competitions, Girona began the match strongly, with Bojan Miovski sending two rapid-fire attempts off target.

At the opposite end, struggling Espanyol had to wait until the 25th minute for their first real opportunity, as top-scorer Javi Puado forced Paulo Gazzaniga into a fantastic save with a powerful strike.

The battle between Gazzaniga and Puado resumed just after the half-hour mark, with the Girona goalkeeper again proving his mettle, expertly diverting the captain’s fierce attempt over the bar with just the tips of his fingers.

As the first half ended without goals, the dynamics of the match shifted in Espanyol’s favour within four minutes of the restart.

A sharp counter-attack, beginning deep in their own half, culminated in Jofre’s exquisite finish, which found the bottom corner past Gazzaniga.

With the deadlock broken, Alex Kral nearly made it two for Espanyol in the 63rd minute, but Gazzaniga was equal to the task, skillfully diverting the ball from any further threat.

Just as it appeared Espanyol were on track to secure a vital win in their fight against relegation, agony struck in the 86th minute when substitute Stuani coolly converted from the penalty spot, following a clever foul drawn by Viktor Tsygankov on Urko Gonzalez de Zarate.

The frustrating loss of two important points leaves Manolo González’s side sitting in 15th place, while Girona’s hopes of European qualification seem bleak, as Míchel’s team finds themselves eight points adrift of the top six.