UD Las Palmas suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat away to Girona FC on Saturday, August 29. The LaLiga Hypermotion match, matchday three, was played at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi at 20:30 Canary Islands time, as reported by rtvc.es.
Rubén de la Barrera's side arrived as league leaders with six points, but the loss now places them sixth in the Segunda División standings. They have six points from two wins and one loss in three games, with a recent form of LWW. Their goal difference is zero, having scored six and conceded six. They sit just one point behind leaders Granada CF.
How did the match unfold in Montilivi?
Girona took the lead in the 21st minute through Jastin with a shot from the edge of the box that UD Las Palmas goalkeeper J. A. Caro failed to save. The Canary Islanders responded in the second half. Iván Jaime, introduced at halftime, scored from a rebound off Gazzaniga to level the match.
The parity was short-lived. Within five minutes, Girona scored twice to take control. First, Fran Beltrán capitalised on a mistake from Caro to score. Soon after, Asprilla finished a counter-attack with a low shot into the corner. The same Asprilla added a fourth goal from another break. UD Las Palmas' situation worsened when Jesé was sent off for a foul in midfield.
Even with ten men, the visitors managed to pull one back through a goal from Miyashiro. But in the 90th minute, Izan González stole the ball, drove into the box, and sealed the final 5-2 scoreline.
What was the impact of Enrique Clemente's return?
A positive note for the team was the return of Enrique Clemente, who started the match after recovering from a knee injury sustained in pre-season. His availability was highly anticipated by the coaching staff. In the pre-match press conference, manager Rubén de la Barrera had confirmed his fitness without revealing if he would start or come off the bench.
De la Barrera praised his organisational qualities. "He is a player who organises everyone else when building from the back, who gives us many options, and who also benefits his teammates; I hope he is ready soon," the coach said. His return to left-back raised questions about the role of Giovanni Bonfanti, who had been filling in there. De la Barrera noted that "if the player from Zaragoza returns to the left side of defence, it would not mean that the Italian Giovanni Bonfanti -now an improvised left-back- moves to his natural centre-back position," citing the strong performance of the central defensive partnership of Álex Suárez and Juanma Herzog.
How does this result affect the season?
This defeat halts UD Las Palmas' perfect start, having won their two previous matches, including a 0-2 victory against Ceuta. In contrast, Girona FC, who were 16th with just one point, secured their first win. Recent history was also against the Canarians, who had won only one of the last five head-to-head meetings, losing the other four.
The team must now focus on the next fixture, which is of great importance. Next Friday, September 4, they will host Leganes at home, who currently sit second in the table. This match presents an immediate opportunity to react and get back to winning ways. Fans can track the team's progress on our standings page and check all the details of the upcoming challenge on the fixtures calendar.
With six points from three matchdays, UD Las Palmas remains well-placed in the fight for the top spots, but this stumble in Montilivi is a reminder of the competitiveness of LaLiga Hypermotion. The response against Leganes will be key to demonstrating their ambition this season.
