A frustrating 2-1 defeat against title rivals RCD Espanyol prevented us from taking a huge step towards promotion as goals from Javi Puado and Landry Dimata cancelled out Amath Ndiaye’s leveller.
Luis García Plaza made two changes to his starting XI following our 1-0 win over Albacete on Matchday 24. Fran Gámez made his return from injury at right back while Martin Valjent slotted into central defence at the expense of Jordi Mboula and Franco Russo respectively. Former manager Vicente Moreno was in the visiting dugout for the first time since his departure for Barcelona.
A cagey opening sprang to life in the 15th minute when Amath raced in behind the visitors’ centre-back pairing and forced the on-rushing Diego Lopez to spread himself well.
RCD Espanyol responded in the following phase of play, and after a neat inter-change on the edge of the box, Manolo Reina blew a sigh of relief as Sergi Darder fired over the bar.
Amath was thwarted once again by Diego Lopez in the 23rd minute as the goalkeeper somehow managed to paw away the striker’s close-range effort after he had latched onto Salva Sevilla’s teasing cross into the box.
We were punished for not taking our earlier chances 10 minutes later as Puado climbed highest to head home a set-piece from out wide. The first half bleated out with no further chances for either side.
A sluggish start to a big 45 minutes meant Reina had to be at his best to first deny Miquelón, before Raúl de Tomás headed wide of the mark.
Having weathered the earlier storm, we responded emphatically as Diego Lopez was unable to deny Amath for a third time. We drew level in the 52nd minute when a period of encouraging build-up play accumulated in Antonio Sánchez reacting first to a loose ball and teeing up the striker to half-volley home from a few yards out.
Abdón came close to completing the comeback in the 62nd minute when he found space at the near post to get a shot away, although his effort from a tight angle flew over the bar by a matter of inches.
It wasn’t to be our afternoon however, as RCD Espanyol restored their lead to take home all three points courtesy of Landry Dimata putting the finishing touch to a counter attack in the 73rd minute.
We will have to quickly recover from a tough defeat as we next host third-placed Almería in a week’s time.
RCD Mallorca: Manolo Reina, Gámez (76’), Raíllo, Valjent, Oliván, Ruiz de Galarreta (76’), Salva Sevilla (81’), Dani Rodríguez, Amath, Antonio Sánchez, Abdón (71’)
Substitutes: Parera, Koke, Cufré, Russo, Febas (76’), Gayà, Murilo (81’), Trajkovski, Mboula, Marc Cardona, Álvaro (71’), Mollejo (76’), Lago Junior
RCD Espanyol: Diego López, Llambrich (77’), David López, Cabrera, Pedrosa, Bare (62’), Sergi Darder (85’), Embarba, Nico (62’), Puado, RDT (77’)
Substitutes: Oier, Calero, Lluís, Wu Lei, Fran Mérida (62’), Melendo (85’), Dídac, Dimata (62’), Vadillo, Vargas, Pol (77’), Óscar (77’)
Goals: Puado, 0-1 (33’); Amath, 1-1 (52’); Dimata, 1-2 (73’)
