Champions League highlights: Sturm Graz 1-0 Girona
Sturm Graz boosted their Champions League qualification hopes with their first win of the campaign against Girona.
Girona should have led but a dreadful miss from Ivan Martin cost them dear as Mike Biereth's 58th minute goal proved the difference.
Martin had run in from the wing and met the ball in front of an open goal, but he got his feet in a tangle and somehow contrived to steer the effort high and wide from one yard out.
The miss proved costly as keeper Paulo Gazzaniga spilled a Seedy Jatta shot and Biereth slammed home the rebound.
It means Austrian champions Sturm Graz are still in with a chance of finishing in the top 24 and reaching the play-offs, despite losing their first four games of the group stage.
They overtake Girona, who now have the same record as Graz of one win and four defeats.
The Spanish side should have taken the lead after 24 minutes, only for forward Martin to be guilty of one of the worst misses in recent Champions League history.
Martin's own cross from the right was deflected away to winger and Spurs loanee Bryan Gil, who fed the ball back across the box only for his team mate to spurn the chance.
Girona were made to pay by another mistake in the second half, when ex-Tottenham keeper Gazzaniga spilled a simple save at the feet of former Arsenal youngster Biereth.
Biereth tucked home from five yards for only the second goal Graz have registered in the Champions League so far - the first being an own goal.
The home side hung on to become only the second Austrian team to beat a La Liga side in seven Champions League meetings between the nations, following RB Salzburg's 1-0 win over Sevilla in December 2021.
