Two keepers steal the show as Girona and Espanyol deadlock in Montilivi thriller

À Éviter Score Futmetrix: 13/100. When goalkeeping heroics and defensive steel trump attacking ambition, the scoreline becomes irrelevant: Girona and Espanyol proved that sometimes a 0-0 is the most dramatic result of the day.

Brilliance between the sticks in a pressure cooker

Defensive Balance reigned supreme at Montilivi. Paulo Gazzaniga produced five world-class saves to keep Girona breathing, while Marko Dmitrović repelled three dangerous incursions from the hosts. Both keepers orchestrated a masterclass in shot-stopping that transformed the pitch into an offensive battleground where neither team could breach the defensive fortress.

The Intensity was suffocating: 32 combined shots, only 8 on target. Espanyol proved more clinical in the box (11 inside-area efforts versus Girona's 7), but precision evaporated when it mattered most. Twelve corners distributed across both teams generated relentless pressure, yet not a single header or follow-up found the net.

Fernando Calero's defensive performance was the difference-maker. The Espanyol centre-back closed passing lanes, intercepted danger, and transformed every clearance into an act of defiance. His 8.3 rating reflected a night where grit—not glory—defined the outcome.

Girona dominated possession (60%) but lacked the killer touch. Their 1.08 xG indicated chances existed; Gazzaniga and Espanyol's rearguard simply suffocated them. Espanyol, with a mere 40% share, proved lethal on transitions, but Dmitrović refused to let their possession disadvantage become a scoreline disadvantage.