Girona Returns To Spanish League Lead With 1-0 Win At Celta Vigo – News18

MADRID: Girona rebounded from its elimination within the Copa del Rey by defeating Celta Vigo 1-0 to return to the Spanish league lead on Sunday.

Portu scored a primary-half winner to maneuver Girona a degree forward of Real Madrid, which gained 2-1 at Las Palmas on Saturday. Madrid has a recreation in hand.

“This is a long-distance race,” Girona coach Míchel Sánchez stated. “We are in a very nice position and we want to continue this run.”

Girona was coming off a 3-2 loss at Mallorca within the Copa, a outcome that stored it from reaching the match’s semifinals for the primary time and ended its 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions. The crew’s solely different loss this season got here towards Madrid at dwelling within the league in September.

Girona has 17 wins in 22 league matches, and the competitors’s finest assault with 52 objectives. No different crew has scored greater than 45.

Míchel’s crew has a troublesome stretch forward, with matches towards sixth-place Real Sociedad, second-place Madrid and fourth-place Athletic Bilbao.

It was the third straight loss for Rafa Benítez’s Celta, which was coming off two consecutive dwelling defeats towards Real Sociedad — one within the league and one within the Copa. The Vigo crew stayed in seventeenth place within the league, two factors from the relegation zone.

There had been some jeers throughout and after the match towards Benítez, who’s within the first yr of a 3-yr contract with Celta.

“We played against a good team that is at the top for good reason,” Benítez stated. “We had our chances but couldn’t capitalize on them.”

Celta might drop into the relegation zone if Sevilla and Cadiz win their matches later Sunday. Sevilla hosts Osasuna and Cadiz hosts Athletic.

Benítez complained concerning the poor discipline circumstances at Balaídos Stadium, as did Míchel and a few Girona gamers.

Girona conceded some probabilities however was in management throughout many of the match.

Portu discovered the web from inside the world with a low shot by the close to publish within the twentieth minute.

“We have to keep going match by match,” Portu stated. “We know that we have been opening a good gap to the other teams fighting for the European places, and that has to be our goal right now.”

Also Sunday, Atletico can be part of third-place Barcelona on 44 factors if it beats Valencia at dwelling.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)