Girona claim crucial draw against Real Sociedad to climb out of LaLiga's bottom three

[p]Beginning the match 19th in an incredibly tight relegation battle and running out of games to pick up points, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/girona/nNNpcUSL/"]Girona[/a] wasted no time in showing their intent.[/p][p]There was a roar from the stands when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roca-joel-casals-joel/WGvUbvMF/"]Joel Roca[/a] hit an early shot, despite it being a tame one that was routinely saved, and there was further encouragement when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsygankov-viktor/8l99epoQ/"]Viktor Tsygankov[/a]’s shot was tipped onto the post inside four minutes.[/p][p]Tsygankov then came agonisingly close with a free-kick, but the hosts were dealt a scare when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/remiro-alejandro/UmDjbtRC/"]Alex Remiro[/a] swiftly played a superb ball forward to release [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barrenetxea-muguruza-ander/A3vo4Lf6/"]Ander Barrenetxea[/a] for a flicked shot that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gazzaniga-paulo/jB3F3wGi/"]Paulo Gazzaniga[/a] came out to save.[/p][p]The Blanquivermells continued to push for an opener, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ounahi-azzedine/reDF5hxm/"]Azzedine Ounahi[/a] found [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-arnau/UTk2FzpS/"]Arnau Martinez[/a] in the box with some neat play, although the captain made such a mess of his shot that the ball went out for a throw.[/p][p][b]Having overcome further pressure, La Real took the lead in the 28th minute when Gazzaniga cheaply conceded a corner that resulted in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martin-jon/dd9n67gb/"]Jon Martin[/a] outjumping three Girona players to head home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomez-sergio/fmGvlHVM/"]Sergio Gomez[/a]’s delivery.[/b][/p][embed guid="beec3d1a-1c32-474c-aa37-d427d85b1567" url="https://x.com/LaLigaEN/status/2054996366602977446" social-type="twitter" /][p]The visitors suffered a blow shortly after as Barrenetxea limped off, but they at least remained ahead with Tsygankov heading wide and Remiro eye-catchingly tipping Ounahi’s shot over the crossbar.[/p][p]Girona kept attacking after the restart, with Tsygankov having a shot blocked inside two second-half minutes.[/p][p]Roca then curled a shot marginally past the far post and saw a header deflected into the side netting, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oyarzabal-mikel/dQ1P695O/"]Mikel Oyarzabal[/a] resorted to cynically pulling down Ounahi to stop a breakaway and was booked.[/p][p][b]Not to be held back, Girona finally found their equaliser in the 66th minute as half-time substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stuani-christian/U5yv9YBB/"]Cristhian Stuani[/a] applied a clinical first-time finish to Martinez’s low cross, inspiring rapturous celebrations at Estadi Municipal de Montilivi.[/b][/p][embed guid="8c36c05c-e730-4b3e-97cd-6e47d03a7dfc" url="https://x.com/LaLigaEN/status/2055009151105818971" social-type="twitter" /][p]iíchel’ introduced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/echeverri-claudio/CKeKSetG/"]Claudio Echeverri[/a] in a late change that almost had immediate results, but the Argentine’s shot flashed agonisingly wide as Girona played were forced to accept their second consecutive draw.[/p][p]That is enough to leave them three places and one point above the relegation zone, while they also sit three points behind 11th-placed Valencia. In doing so, they condemned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-sociedad/jNvak2f3/"]Real Sociedad[/a] to a sixth LaLiga match in a row without a win.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-arnau/UTk2FzpS/"]Arnau Martinez[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/girona/nNNpcUSL/"]Girona[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/girona-nNNpcUSL/real-sociedad-jNvak2f3/?mid=YZgOrGZR"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="f3be4b7e-b730-4cc2-93bc-975efc275c2b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="95bdd434-ab1f-4806-8996-531088692b59" original-width="1920" original-height="1280" /]