MALLORCA TODAY - Zaragoza halt Mallorca's revival

Real Mallorca 2 : 4 Real Zaragoza
Having taken ten points from their last four games and so kick started a season that threatened to be another struggle, Mallorca came up against Zaragoza, a team that had also been relegated from La Liga, and came unstuck. Three goals in ten minutes by the visitors leading up to half-time were only partially offset by central defender Agus's header right on half-time. A red card for Zaragoza's Abraham before the break could have been the cue for Mallorca to get right back in the game, but Barkero put Zaragoza 4-1 up within ten minutes of the break, Victor replying with a penalty five minutes later. But there were to be no more goals from Mallorca or from Zaragoza. Mallorca slip, for now, to sixteenth in Liga Adelante.

MALLORCA TODAY - Real Mallorca 1 : 1 Real Zaragoza

Dubbed their first final of the season, 17th-placed Mallorca, having slumped so badly in the league, needed a win against Zaragoza, three points and three spots above them. The home side showed far greater ambition than of late and were given the perfect opportunity after 13 minutes when Glenn Loovens, the former Celtic and Cardiff Dutch international, was sent off for a second bookable offence for fouling Nsue in the area. Victor, though, saw his penalty saved. One-man down, penalty missed, and what happened? Postiga put Zaragoza ahead two minutes later. With the one-man advantage, Caparrós replaced defender Ximo with an additional attacker, Giovani Dos Santos coming on just before the half hour. Mallorca dominant but one down at half-time. The dominance continued into the second period but with little to show for it. Another more attacking player, Fernández, replaced Bigas with a quarter of an hour to go, as Mallorca pressed, Nsue very much to the fore, and finally, with five minutes left, it was Victor with a header who converted the dominance into an equaliser. A brave effort by Zaragoza, a point at least for Mallorca who stay 17th and next up have an away trip to Levante in seventh.

Mallorca:
Aouate; Ximo (Dos Santos 26), Geromel, Nunes, Bigas (Fernández 75); Pina, Márquez (Alfaro 60); Nsue, Victor, Pereira; Hemed
Goal: Victor (85)
Yellows: Pereira (42), Bigas (45), Victor (46)

Zaragoza:
Roberto; Sapunaru, Loovens, Alvaro, Abraham (Parades 74); Zuculini, Movilla (Pintér 89); Rodríguez (Mari 65), Apoño, Montañes; Postiga
Goal: Postiga (15)
Red: Loovens (13)
Yellows: Loovens (2), Sapunaru (27), Movilla (88)

MALLORCA TODAY - Real Mallorca 1 : 0 Real Zaragoza

One more win and there would be absolutely no more fear of a Mallorca relegation. At home to a bottom-three side, Zaragoza, desperate for points to escape the drop, could have been expected to have been a nervy affair, and the teams were fairly evenly-matched, Victor though making the difference in the first half by heading Mallorca into the lead. Though Zaragoza made chances in the second period, they never really threatened Mallorca who were happy to sit back towards the end of the game and who took the vital three points.

Mallorca:
Aouate; Cendrós, Chico, Ramis, Cáceres; Martí, Pina, Pereira, Castro (Nsue 79); Victor (Crespí 90), Hemed (Bigas 86)
Goal: Victor (33)
Yellows: Pina (48), Cáceres (57), Chico (84)

Zaragoza:
Roberto; Zuculini (Juan Carlos 81), Lanzaro, Paredes, Da Silva, Abraham; Luis García (Barrera 68), Dujmovic (Oriol 56), Apoño, Lafita; Postiga
Yellows: Abraham (14), Luis García (65), Lanzaro (89)