A quiet but combative start by both sides was soon brought to life when an awful mistake by Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga saw him fail to deal with Yusi’s cross and allowed Lucas Boye to score with a tap-in.
Almost immediately, Daley Blind’s indecision let in Toni Martinez, but with only Gazzaniga to beat, he blasted the ball well over. With their tails up, the hosts continued to dominate proceedings, and only on the quarter-hour mark did Viktor Tsygankov have the visitors’ first attempt at goal.
As the half continued, there was precious little goalmouth action until the half-hour.
A corner for Girona was swept in and headed on at the near post by Axel Witsel, before being tapped in at the far post by an unmarked Vladyslav Vanat.
Bryan Gil then began to dictate proceedings in the midfield, and Ivan Martin went close as the visitors ended the half well on top.
Alaves came out fighting after the break, with both Youssef Enriquez and Pablo Ibanez going close in the first few minutes.
Ibanez’s effort appeared to injure Gazzaniga, who required extensive attention from the medical staff before being able to carry on.
The hosts continued to pour forward, though they were susceptible to the long ball over the top, and whenever Gil was on the ball, Alaves were always on the back foot.
The visitors hadn’t, however, managed another shot in the game after Vanat’s goal until two in quick succession from Azzedine Ounahi and Witsel in the 69th minute.
Shortly after, a wonderful pass from Ounahi took out the whole Alaves defence, leaving Tsygankov to expertly round Antonio Sivera and finish into an empty net.
A frantic final few minutes saw Boye double his personal tally and net an 89th-minute equaliser, brilliantly heading home from Victor Parada’s cross.
That late suckerpunch will have left the visitors desperately disappointed, yet despite snatching a late point, Alaves have still only won one of the last six LaLiga meetings in this fixture (D2, L3).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Bryan Gil (Girona)