From 3rd tier to topflight, Huesca's Gallego scores in Liga

Posted February 01, 2019 6:00 am

By JOSEPH WILSON

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) - In less than nine months, Enric Gallego has gone from leading Spain's third division in scoring to netting his first goal in the topflight.

And all at the age of 32.

Gallego scored his first goal since joining Huesca last month on Friday, sparking a 4-0 rout of Valladolid that boosts the club's slim hopes of avoiding relegation.

Gallego transferred to struggling Huesca after leading the second division through the first five months of the season by scoring 15 goals for Extremadura. Last season, he led the third division with 28 goals.

Gallego robbed a ball from Valladolid defender Fernando Calero, raced into the area and slotted the ball under goalkeeper Jordi Masip to take the 19th-minute opener.

The hosts then got more goals from Jorge Pulido, Moi Gomez and Ezequiel Avila.

"This is an incredible night," Gallego said. "I am so happy for the team and for getting my first goal in la Liga. The team was outstanding and I know this is the way forward."

Huesca, which is playing its first season in the first division, remained in last place at eight points from salvation.

But at least its home fans could savor its biggest win of the season.

"Of course we all believe 100 percent that we can turn this around," Gallego said.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.