Girona's Liga runner-up hopes hit by draw at Alaves
Disappointed Girona players after Jon Guridi’s late equaliser for Deportivo Alaves
Girona’s hopes of taking the runners-up spot behind La Liga champions Real Madrid took a hit on Friday when a goal from Alaves’s Jon Guridi in the ninth minute of added time restricted them to a 2-2 draw.
Eric Garcia put Girona ahead after just four minutes at the Mendizorroza stadium in Vitoria before Guridi levelled for the home side eight minutes later.
Artem Dovbyk, the league’s leading goalscorer with 20, did not get on the scoresheet but a minute before half-time he teed up Yangel Herrera for what appeared to be the winner.
But as the game stretched deep into added time Guridi popped up to share the spoils.
Girona move to 75 points, 12 behind Madrid and more important only two points clear of their Catalonian rivals Barcelona.
Barca do not play until Monday but they will go second if they beat a Real Sociedad team still looking to seal a Europa League place.
New Spanish champions Real Madrid, who beat Bayern Munich in midweek to book their place in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, will come down to earth on Saturday as they visit relegation-threatened Granada.
Granada are second from bottom and could already be down before kick-off at their Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium if Real Mallorca, 17th, defeat Las Palmas earlier on.
bsp/mw