Goals for Amath Ndiaye, Abdón Prats and Salva Sevilla in a swashbuckling opening 20 minutes of our 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano handed us our first three points of the new year.
Luis García Plaza made four changes to the side which suffered a 1-0 defeat to Las Palmas a fortnight ago. Brian Oliván replaced Braian Cufré at left back, while Fran Gámez substituted the injured Joan Sastre on the opposite flank. Antonio Sánchez and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta were also introduced at the expense of Lago Junior and Iddrisu Baba.
We couldn’t have wished for a better start in the capital as Amath Ndiaye gave us the lead after just three minutes when a quick one-two with Abdón Prats following a rapid turnover of possession teed the forward up on the half-volley to smash the ball into the roof of the net from inside the box.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts as Abdón doubled our lead 10 minutes later when he found himself with space to spin his marker and, at the second time of asking having initially been denied by Stole Dimitrievski, poked home with the goal gaping.
Mario Suárez should have provided Los Franjirrojos with an instant response with their first opportunity of the game when his half volley from a few metres out sailed over the bar in the succeeding attack.
An incisive 20 minutes was capped off by Salva Sevilla who put the game beyond doubt with a wonderful curling free-kick from 20-yards out which left Dimitrievski only able to claw at the whipped shot.
Luis Advincúla pulled one back moments before the break with an unstoppable drive from distance, but we headed into dressing room on the back of one of the finest starts to a game we have had so far this season.
The second half didn’t follow the frenetic script of the previous 45 minutes as we stemmed any potential resurgence by controlling possession and limiting the hosts’ counter attacks.
With little over 15 minutes remaining, a frustrated Andoni Iraola received his marching orders for remonstrating with officials on the touchline as we held Los Franjirrojos at bay.
Rayo Vallecano surged forward desperately as the game neared its conclusion, but it would prove too little too late as our defence delivered on the solidarity Plaza called for in his pre-match press conference to put an end to a winless run of three games.
Returning back to the island with our first three points of the season, we now turn our attention to the visitation of Girona in a week’s time.
RCD Mallorca: Reina, Oliván, Raíllo, Valjent, Gámez, Ruiz de Galarreta, Salva Sevilla, Dani Rodríguez, Antonio Sánchez, Amath, Abdón (83’)
Substitutes: Parera, Franco Russo, Febas, Murilo, Lago Junior (83’), Mboula, Trajkovski, Cufré, Fran González, Luka, Diabate, Gaya
Rayo Vallecano: Dimitrievski, Velázquez, Alejandro Catena, Francisco Garcia, Advíncula, Mario Suárez, Isi Palazón, M. L. S. Trejo, Álvaro, Pozo, Bebé
Substitutes: Roberto González, Iván Martos, Santi Comesaña, Leonardo Ulloa, Andrés Martín, Yacine, Joni Montiel, E. Saveljich, Mario Hernández, Daniel Moreno, Iker Ortega, Manuel Navarro
Goals: Amath Ndiaye 3’, 0-1; Abdón 13’, 0-2; Salva Sevilla 19’, 0-3; Luis Advincúla, 40’, 1-3.
