Celta concede late goal to settle for draw with Girona

Juanpe's goal in the 85th minute allowed La Liga football league newcomers Girona to escape with a 3-3 draw here against a Celta Vigo side that once again dropped points from a winning position.

The result on Friday leaves Celta with eight points from seven matches, just two more points than Girona, who are playing their first season in the Spanish top flight, reports Efe news agency.

Clearly not intimidated, the visitors began ambitiously and challenged Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco twice in the opening five minutes, with shots by Juanpe and Pablo Maffeo.

But it was the hosts who struck first: a goal by Pione Sisto in the 8th minute. The 16,000-plus crowd in the stands at the Balaidos erupted with joy before watching Portu equalize for Girona a minute later.

Girona pulled ahead in the 14th minute, when a defensive blunder on a set-piece left Blanco at the mercy of an unmarked Cristhian Stuani.

The lead lasted just seconds, as Maxi Gomez prevailed in a dual with Girona keeper Gorka Iraizoz to level the score at 2-2.

The pace slowed in the second half, with Celta dominating possession without doing much to trouble the Girona defenders until the 70th minute, when Iraizoz had to make successive outstanding stops -- Facundo Roncaglia twice and Gomez once -- in a matter of seconds.

Yet the stalwart Girona keeper could do nothing about Daniel Wass' thunderous strike on a direct free kick in the 75th minute and Celta moved in front 3-2.

But just as they did against Real Sociedad and Getafe, Celta found a way to squander a lead and Juanpe brought the visitors level with five minutes left in regulation, though his effort would have been wasted if Iraizoz hadn't come up with another great save on the following sequence, denying Iago Aspas.

--IANS

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