Not in his wildest dreams did Portu imagine making a comeback with Girona and giving his team victory against Las Palmas with a goal almost in the last minute. The day after his signing, Míchel gave him the opportunity to play the last quarter of an hour, replacing Tsygankov – the only one of the three reinforcements made on the last day of the market to have minutes – and Portu he took advantage and gave three more points to a Girona that continues without losing, consolidated at the top of the classification and installed on top of a cloud from which it does not want to come down.
A victory that left in the background the refereeing controversy due to the various decisions taken during the match by the Balearic Busquets Ferrer, who made his debut in Montilivi as a First Division referee. Among which, two goals disallowed for Stuani, one for offside and another for a foul prior to the start of a corner which was invalidated by the VAR. Stuani himself in the preview of the game had sent an enigmatic message on social networks that most interpreted as it could be his last game in Montilivi for a juicy offer from Saudi Arabia. At the moment, however, the Uruguayan continues to receive the esteem of the Girona public, who applauded him on more than one occasion.
The striker returned to captain the team in which, for the third game in a row, Míchel opted for the same 11, asserting the premise that when things are going well it’s better not to touch them too much.
However, Las Palmas came out better, who in the 2nd minute already had the first chance to score after Pejiño got his back to the local defense and Gazzaniga rejected it with his foot.
Girona’s response, however, did not take long, and in the next play one of the sensations of this start, Savinho, put Álvaro Vallés to the test with a shot from almost no angle. Minutes later, the winger tried again from the right, with a different leg, but the Canarian goalkeeper was again providential.
Occasions that served for the locals to take complete control of the game and look for the goal even more insistently, thanks in large part to the danger created by the Savinho and Tsygankov wings. In another controversial move, Montilivi claimed some hands from Julian Araújo that the referee didn’t see either. And in the midst of this tense climate, Araújo himself could also have advanced Las Palmas if Gazzaniga had not pulled out a providential hand.
In the final minutes and in this search to undo the tie, Míchel made five changes in a quarter of an hour and Portu, after a combination play, collected a ball masterfully left by Yan Couto to confirm his return through the big door in front of a Montilivi who surrendered at his feet.
