Javi Rodríguez fires Celta to a 2-1 win vs Alavés

Celta turned things around after the break and beat Alavés 2-1 with Javi Rodríguez in the spotlight: he set up Ferran Jutglà for the 1-0 and then scored the 2-0 himself at 71’. Under Claudio Giráldez, it was their second domestic win of the season and they finished level on 11 points with their opponents.

Coming off their Juventus setback (1-2, Kolo Muani’s goal in the 92nd minute), Giráldez made three changes—one per line. Hugo Álvarez started on the left, and with Ángel Pérez suspended (Tenaglia included), the first half didn’t bring much attacking punch for Celta.

At 52’, Rodríguez broke through down the middle and picked out Jutglà for the 1-0. The decisive moment came at 71’: he beat three players and finished past Sivera with a cross-goal shot to the far post. Hugo Novoa pulled one back for Alavés in the 87th, but Celta held on to seal 2-1, as Mundo Deportivo reports.