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Athletic Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams pegs backs Girona after Tsygankov strike

Athletic Bilbao salvaged a point against Girona in a thrilling 1-1 draw at the San Mamés Stadium on Monday night. The hosts were trailing by a goal from Vitaliy Tsygankov until Iñaki Williams scored a stunning equalizer in the 71st minute.

The match was a clash between two of the surprise contenders for the top spots in La Liga this season. Girona, who had won their previous four games, were looking to overtake Real Madrid at the top of the table with a win. Athletic Bilbao, who had only lost once in their last seven games, were aiming to close the gap with the leaders and maintain their unbeaten home record.

The game started with a high tempo and both teams created chances in the opening minutes. Girona goalkeeper Juan Carlos made a brilliant save to deny Williams in the fifth minute, while Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simón had to be alert to stop a shot from Cristhian Stuani in the ninth minute.

The visitors took the lead in the 25th minute, when Tsygankov scored his fifth goal of the season. The Ukrainian winger, who joined Girona on loan from Dynamo Kyiv in the summer, received a pass from Borja García and unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box that flew past Simón into the top corner.

Athletic Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams pegs backs Girona after Tsygankov strike

Athletic Bilbao tried to respond and had more possession and shots in the first half, but they lacked the final touch to beat Juan Carlos. Girona defended well and looked dangerous on the counter-attack, with Tsygankov and Stuani causing problems for the home defense.

The second half was more of the same, with Athletic Bilbao pushing for an equalizer and Girona looking to seal the game with a second goal. The hosts had a couple of chances through Williams and Raúl García, but they were either off target or saved by Juan Carlos.

The breakthrough for Athletic Bilbao came in the 71st minute, when Williams scored one of the goals of the season. The 28-year-old forward, who had recently been called up by Ghana for the first time, picked up the ball near the halfway line and ran past three defenders before unleashing a thunderous shot from 25 yards that left Juan Carlos with no chance.

The goal sparked a wild celebration at the San Mamés, as Williams was mobbed by his teammates and the fans. It was his fourth goal of the season and his 39th in his record-breaking 239th consecutive appearance in La Liga.

Girona tried to regain the lead in the final minutes, but they were denied by Simón, who made a superb save to keep out a header from Stuani in the 83rd minute. Athletic Bilbao also had a chance to win the game in stoppage time, but Nico Williams, the younger brother of Iñaki, saw his shot blocked by a defender.

The final whistle confirmed the 1-1 draw, which left both teams with mixed feelings. Girona missed the opportunity to go top of the table, but they extended their unbeaten run to five games and remained in second place, one point behind Real Madrid. Athletic Bilbao dropped to sixth place, four points behind the leaders, but they preserved their unbeaten home record and showed their fighting spirit.

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