Girona rallies from two goals down to defeat Almeria 5-2 and join Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
In a thrilling first half, Girona staged a remarkable comeback to overcome a 2-0 deficit and secure a 5-2 victory against Almeria, positioning themselves level on points with Real Madrid at the top of the LaLiga standings.
Gaizka Garitano took the reins at Almeria during the international break, becoming the third head coach of the season after leaving Eibar in the summer.
His debut encounter appeared to be a challenging one, with Girona having won three of their four league matches at the Estadi Montilivi this season.
The new manager enjoyed an auspicious start, as Leo Baptistao, making only his second start of the season, put the visitors in the lead with a precise strike from a tight angle within the first two minutes.
Míchel's squad responded effectively in his 100th game in charge, with David Lopez narrowly missing the target following a corner, and Yangel Herrera testing Fernando Martínez with a powerful shot.
Just when the pressure was mounting, Almeria executed a lethal counterattack, stunning the hosts as Baptistao scored his second goal from a rebound after Paulo Gazzaniga could only deflect Adrian Embarba's left-footed effort.
However, Girona, undeterred by the two-goal deficit, engineered a remarkable turnaround, scoring three goals in a frenetic six-minute burst before halftime.
Baptistao's rollercoaster first half continued as he made an error that allowed Aleix Garcia to set up Ivan Martin, who calmly slotted the ball into the net.
Artem Dovbyk matched Baptistao's first-half heroics with a pair of clinical left-footed finishes, completing a breathtaking opening period.Almeria's ongoing defensive struggles were starkly evident as they failed to maintain a clean sheet throughout the season.
The second half saw a lull in the early exchanges, but Girona extended their lead with Savio cutting in from the right and beating Martínez.Garitano, who had requested time from the supporters earlier in the week, could now fully appreciate the scope of the challenge at hand.
His team consolidated their position during a less eventful second half, until loanee youngster Savio sealed the victory by cutting in from the right and beating Martínez, who should have done better.
Christian Stuani's clinical finish added the final touch to the scoring for the high-scoring hosts, who continued their strong early-season form, putting them in contention with the Spanish football giants.
Meanwhile, Almeria's woes continued as they remained winless in their first ten league matches, leaving them yearning for a change in fortune.
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