We extended our unbeaten run to six games with a goalless draw against Albacete Balonpié despite having been unable to turn our dominance into goals at the Visit Mallorca Estadi.
Luis García Plaza made six changes to the side held to a goaless draw at CD Mirandés on Matchday 6. Marc Cardona and Íñigo Ruiz de Galarreta were handed their first starts for the club, while Jordi Mboula, Martin Valjent, Fran Gamez and Aleksandar Sedlar were also introduced at the expense of Brian Oliván, Franco Russo, Salva Sevilla, Joan Sastre, Lago Junior and the injured Iddrisu Baba.
Having paid our respects to the passing of lifelong season ticket holder Felipe Pou Escoubet prior to kick-off, we began the game on the front foot and looked to press the visitors high up the pitch as Dani Rodríguez came close to haunting his former club with a tame effort on the edge of the box.
Such intensity led to openings in the final third with turnovers in possession throughout midfield, of which Briain Cufré attempted an audacious curled effort at the near post of Tomeu Nadal following a clever corner routine.
A quick counter later saw Dani Rodríguez slip Amath Ndiaye in behind Albacete’s high line, but the pacey forward was unable to get a delicate chip over the on-rushing Nadal on target.
Dani Rodríguez continued to be a menace breaking forward from midfield, and having beaten the offside trap with a well-timed run, the Spaniard had the first half’s best chance when he had a fierce strike at goal from a few yards out palmed away by Nadal.
Despite our best efforts break the deadlock before the break, we ultimately headed into the dressing room with the scores level at half-time.
We were unlucky not to take the lead in the 53rd minute when Nadal denied Salva Sevilla from the spot after Jordi Mboula’s quick feet had left referee Pulido Santana with little doubt the forward had been tripped by Edy Silvestre in the box.
Nadal’s goalkeeping heroics for the visitors didn’t stop there as he then produced successive stops to first block Dani Rodríguez’s shot from close range and Aleix Febas’ follow-up effort, before Salva Sevilla’s acrobatic volley was cleared off the line.
Increasing pressure on Albacete in search of a winner, we were almost made to pay for advances into the final third when a quick counter attack saw Manu Fuster break from inside his own half with only Manolo Reina to beat. Having raced off his line and forced the midfielder into making an early decision, the midfielder’s attempted cutback to Alfredo Ortuño thankfully rolled away from danger.
As time ebbed into the closing stages of the game, Cufré showed why he had been promoted to set-piece duties when a curling effort forced Nadal into yet another impressive save, before substitute Lago Junior tried his luck at finding a breakthrough with curled attempt wide of the far post.
Our frustration was clear come the final whistle as we were unable to turn opportunities into goals, although focus now switches a hectic fixture schedule which will now see us travel to AD Alcorcòn on Monday evening.
RCD Mallorca: Manolo Reina, Fran Gámez, Raíllo, Valjent, Cufré, Sedlar (41’), De Galarreta (75’), Mboula (75’), Dani Rodríguez (75’), Amath, Cardona (80’)
Substitutes: Miquel Parera, Oliván, Russo, Febas (75’), Alegría, Salva Sevilla (41’), Lago Junior (75’), Abdón, Trajkovski (80’), A. Sánchez (75’), Fran, Luka Romero
Albacete Balompié: Nadal, Arroyo, Boyomo, Kecojevic, Caballo (67’), Diamanka (85’), Silvestre, Fuster (73’), Peña (85’), Jiménez, Ortuño (73’)
Substitutes: Bernabé, Fran García (67’), Gorosito, Del Poco, Nahuel (85’), Liberto, Zozulia (73’), Azamoum (85’), Chema Núñez (73’), Samu, Emiliano
