Michel’s side were managing to tread water on the periphery of a relegation battle, and hosted an Athletic team still harbouring hopes of finishing in the European places, despite a disappointing campaign to date.
Those feelings of frustration for the visitors quickly rose to the surface here when one of their own scored against them with just four minutes on the clock. Hugo Rincon - on loan at Girona from Athletic - fired the hosts in front with a superb angled finish at the end of a sweeping move from left to right. It highlighted Los Leones’ familiar defensive problems, having now failed to keep a clean sheet for a 13th consecutive league game.
The remainder of the first half was being played at a good pace, and Girona had a penalty appeal turned down when Daley Blind went tumbling down inside the box after tangling with Andoni Gorosabel.
Athletic were lacking the cutting edge to significantly trouble Paulo Gazzaniga down the other end of the pitch, as Inaki Williams – making a landmark 500th appearance for Athletic – sent a tame header from Yuri Berchiche’s cross harmlessly wide.
The Blanquivermells could have doubled their advantage before half-time, but Unai Simon made a fine save at the near post to parry Vladyslav Vanat’s shot to safety.
Athletic spurned a golden opportunity to restore parity shortly after the restart when Gorka Guruzeta’s close-range strike was saved by Gazzaniga’s outstretched leg, shortly before the Argentine shot-stopper denied Aymeric Laporte and Mikel Jauregizar in quick succession.
Ernesto Valverde’s side were really upping the ante, as Gazzaniga parried Guruzeta’s header over the bar, preserving an increasingly precarious-looking lead for the hosts.
As such, there was a palpable sense of relief inside the Estadi Montilivi when Azzedine Ounahi doubled Girona’s lead in the 78th minute. Claudio Echeverri played a telling role, as his overhead kick fell into the path of the Moroccan to convert a clinical first-time finish past Simon, leaving Athletic to rue their wastefulness.
There was still time for the Manchester City loanee to add a third, taking Tsyhankov’s pass into his side and scoring his first goal for the Catalans in stoppage time.
This crucial win propels the Blanquivermells nine points clear of the bottom three, and a top-half finish is now well within the realms of possibility. Meanwhile, this defeat for Athletic leaves Valverde’s men languishing in mid-table mediocrity, with their hopes of European qualification in jeopardy.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Paulo Gazzaniga (Girona)
Catch up on the match stats here.
