Mallorca has regained the path of victory this Thursday at the Son Moix stadium by defeating Leganés 1-0 with a goal from center-back Antonio Raíllo in the first half.
Four days later, the Balearic team is reunited with victory, clears doubts, and remains co-leader of the championship tied on points (64) with Espanyol.
Leganés did not make things easy for the vermilion team. Ten minutes from the end Juan Muñoz crashed a direct free kick on the crossbar and in the discount, goalkeeper Manolo Reina saved a point-blank header from Javier Eraso on the same goal line.
The Balearic team, spurred on by the triumphs of their direct rivals for direct promotion, Espanyol and Almería, took to the field ready to correct the mistakes made in the last three days, in which they only added 1 point out of 9 in play after the defeats in Gijón and Fuenlabrada, and the draw against Oviedo in Son Moix.
Leganés, who were playing in Palma their options to stay alive in the fight for direct promotion, raised a very serious game in defense and in the center of the field, but with little prominence in the last meters.
Neither team forced clear chances in the first half. In fact, Mallorca's goal, the work of Raíllo, came from a set piece, in a strategic action.
Raíllo won the “Lega” centrals to connect a header that made Asier Riesgo's stretch useless, a starter again to the detriment of Iván Cuéllar.
Luis García's team went from more to less after the goal that gave him an advantage on the scoreboard; gave ground while waiting for the counterattacks, and the same happened in the second half.
The initiative came from the Madrid team, who faced the resumption with the changes of Bua and Juan Muñoz for Palencia and Rubén Pardo.
Neither Reina nor Riesgo went through much trouble, although in the exchange of offensive actions the advantage was Asier Garitano's team.
Raíllo was sent off (min. 61) when he entered with both legs in front of him to stop Shibasaki's career, but the referee only showed him the yellow card. The entry to the field of Amath Ndiaye, Alexandar Sedlar and Álvaro Giménez contributed to a reactivation of the Mallorcan attack, although the best chance was for the visitors.
Juan Muñoz hit the crossbar with a direct free-kick ten minutes from time and Javier Eraso forced Manolo Reina to do his best to avoid the equalizer.
In those two plays there was the tie of the 'Lega', who kept trying until the end against a Mallorca defending at all costs a result that keeps him at the top of the table tied on points (64) with Espanyol.
(+) See the summary of the match:
Data sheet:
Mallorca: Queen; Joan Sastre, Russo, Raíllo, Oliván; Antonio Sánchez (Cufré, min. 88), Baba (Sedlar, min. 68), Salva Sevilla, Dani Rodríguez; MBoula (Amath, min. 68) and Abdón Prats (Álvaro Giménez, min. 71).
Leganés: Risk; Sergio, Omeruo, J. Hernández; Palencia (Bua, min. 46), Shibasaki, Perea, Pardo (Juan Muñiz, min. 46), Rosales (Eraso, min. 71); Merino (Arnaiz, min., 60), Ibáñez (Borja Bastón, min. 60)
Goal: 1-0, min. 25: Rail.
Referee: Prieto Iglesias (Navarre Committee). He admonished Baba, Raíllo, Oliván del Mallorca; to Palencia, Pardo, Omeruo from Leganés.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the thirty-second day of the SmartBank League played at the Visit Mallorca Estadi without an audience in the stands. EFE
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