Girona keeps La Liga lead with 2-1 comeback win at Rayo Vallecano

Girona has 11 wins in 13 matches has a five-point gap over Real Madrid, which hosts Valencia later on Saturday.

Girona’s striker Artem Dovbyk (m) and Girona’s goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga celebrate. | Photo Credit: AFP / Oscar Del Pozo

Girona fought back for a 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano to ensure it kept its surprising lead in the La Liga on Saturday.

Rayo went ahead from Alvaro Garcia’s goal in the sixth minute.

But Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk equalized three minutes before halftime when he was set up by countryman Viktor Tsyhankov for his team-high seventh goal of the season.

Brazilian winger Savio put the visitors ahead in the 65th when he finished off a Dovbyk shot that was blocked by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

Girona has 11 wins in 13 rounds. It opened up a five-point gap over Real Madrid, which hosts Valencia later on Saturday.

Girona, which two seasons ago was in the second division, is partly controlled by Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi ownership even though it has one of the lowest payrolls in the league of just 51 million euros ($54 million).