The Reale Arena buzzed with expectation as Real Sociedad, sitting 10th in LaLiga, welcomed struggling Girona in what promised to be a crucial encounter for both sides. The home faithful packed the stands, sensing an opportunity to climb the table against visitors languishing in 18th place. Yet by the final whistle, it was Girona who had secured a dramatic 1-2 victory that sent shockwaves through the Basque stronghold.
The opening exchanges belonged to Real Sociedad, and their early dominance paid dividends in the 35th minute when Gonçalo Guedes rifled home a right-footed shot from the centre of the box. Igor Zubeldia's perfectly weighted through ball had split the Girona defense, allowing Guedes to slot past Paulo Gazzaniga into the bottom right corner. The Portuguese winger's celebration ignited the home crowd, who sensed their team was on course for a comfortable victory.
Girona's response came in waves during the second half, with Bryan Gil and Joel Roca causing constant problems down the flanks. The visitors' persistence finally cracked Real Sociedad's resolve in the 76th minute when Viktor Tsygankov leveled the score. Azzedine Ounahi's cross following a lightning-fast break found the Ukrainian winger, who swept his left-footed effort into the bottom right corner from the centre of the box.
The statistics told the story of a closely contested battle, with Girona edging possession at 52.9% while Real Sociedad managed more shots on target. Jon Martín came agonizingly close to restoring the home side's lead in the 82nd minute, but Gazzaniga produced a crucial save to tip his header around the post. The Girona goalkeeper's heroics proved decisive as the match entered its final stages.
The turning point arrived in the 84th minute when Tsygankov struck again to complete his match-winning double. Álex Moreno's assist set up the former Barcelona man, who curled another left-footed effort from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner. The stunned silence that followed spoke volumes about the magnitude of Girona's comeback.
A nervy final six minutes of added time saw Pablo Marín fire over the bar for Real Sociedad as they desperately sought an equalizer. The home crowd's frustration was palpable as their team's early promise evaporated into a damaging defeat that leaves them treading water in mid-table.
This vital victory lifts Girona off the foot of the table and provides crucial momentum in their fight for survival. Real Sociedad must quickly regroup as both teams prepare for their next LaLiga fixtures in the coming weeks.