Boye’s Brace Secures Crucial Point for Alaves in Dramatic 2-2 Stalemate Against Girona

Key Takeaways:

• Alaves drew 2-2 with Girona, moving three points clear of La Liga’s relegation zone last night
• Lucas Boye scored twice, including an 89th-minute equaliser, to earn Alaves a point
• Girona have now suffered just one defeat in their past eight La Liga fixtures

First Half: Defensive Errors and Clinical Finishes Shape the Openening Period

The match commenced with a relatively subdued yet tense opening, as both sides probed for control. The momentum soon shifted when Girona’s goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, failed to clear a cross from Yusi, gifting Lucas Boye a simple tap-in to give Alaves the initial advantage.

Almost immediately, Daley Blind’s moment of uncertainty enabled Toni Martinez to break clear, only for the Alaves striker to squander the chance by firing over the bar with only Gazzaniga to beat. Alaves maintained the upper hand throughout the opening spell, restricting Girona to sporadic opportunities, with Viktor Tsygankov registering the visitors’ first attempt after 15 minutes.

FINAL #AlavésGirona 2-2

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The next significant moment arrived around the half-hour mark. A Girona corner was flicked on by Axel Witsel at the near post and fell kindly to an unmarked Vladyslav Vanat, who calmly levelled the scores from close range. As the half drew to a close, Bryan Gil began to impose himself in midfield, and Ivan Martin went close, ensuring the visitors ended the opening period in the ascendancy.

Second Half: End-to-End Drama and Boye’s Vital Equaliser

Alaves emerged revitalised after the interval, with Youssef Enriquez and Pablo Ibanez both testing Gazzaniga early on. Ibanez’s shot led to an injury scare for the Girona keeper, who required extended medical treatment but ultimately continued. Despite Alaves’ attacking intent, their vulnerability to Girona’s direct approach remained apparent, especially whenever Bryan Gil was on the ball, exerting continual pressure on the hosts’ defence.

However, Girona struggled to create further clear-cut chances following Vanat’s first-half goal, failing to threaten until Azzedine Ounahi and Axel Witsel forced saves from Antonio Sivera in quick succession in the 69th minute. Moments later, Ounahi’s perfectly weighted pass cut through the Alaves backline and enabled Viktor Tsygankov to round Sivera before finishing into an empty net, giving Girona the lead deep into the second half.

With time slipping away, Alaves mustered one last push. Lucas Boye stepped up again in the 89th minute, rising to meet Victor Parada’s cross and powering home a header to complete his brace and secure a dramatic late equaliser for the home side.

Match Statistics and Performance Breakdown

The result ensures that Alaves move three points clear of the relegation zone, though their head-to-head record in recent encounters with Girona remains underwhelming, with just one victory in their last six La Liga meetings (two draws, three defeats). For Girona, the draw extends an impressive run, now with a single loss in their last eight league outings.

Conclusion

Despite Girona’s disappointment at conceding late, the visiting side will take encouragement from their ongoing run of positive results, while Alaves will value the resilience shown to secure a valuable point at home.