Barcelona needed a penalty kick in stoppage time to win 2-1 at Las Palmas and keep pace with leaders Real Madrid and Girona in the Spanish league on Thursday.

Ilkay Gundogan sent his shot from the penalty spot into the middle of the net three minutes into added time to keep Barcelona within seven points of leaders Madrid and Girona at the halfway point of the season.

Madrid, which is ahead of Girona on a tiebreaker, defeated Mallorca 1-0 on Wednesday, while Girona beat fifth-place Atletico Madrid 4-3.

“Everyone is having a hard time winning,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “Girona’s victory came in the last second, Madrid needed a goal off a corner in the 80th, and we did it with a penalty in the final moments. We have what it takes to win the league, you have to respect the defending champions.”