We ended the year with nine men in a 3-2 defeat to CF Fuenlabrada as our 17 game unbeaten run came to an abrupt halt at the Visit Mallorca Estadi.
Luis García Plaza made 10 changes to his side following the 1-0 win over CD Guijuelo in the Copa del Rey. Franco Russo was the only player to retain his spot in the starting XI as Martin Valjent missed out with a slight groin issue, as notable changes included Manolo Reina returning in goal in place of Miquel Parera while Aleix Febas started at the creative point of our midfield.
Struggling to find our rhythm in the opening exchanges, we were punished for a slow start in the 11th minute when Rubén Pulido capitalised on Reina’s inability to hold onto a set-piece cross and poked home a loose ball from close range.
We thought we had found an instant response when Abdón Prats reacted first to Antonio Raíllo’s knockdown from a set-piece five minutes later, but a lengthy VAR review adjudged the defender to have handled in the build-up to the goal.
Not to be outdone by an officiating decision, Braian Cufré opened his account in red and black when he put the finishing touch on some neat interplay involving Salva Sevilla and Amath Ndiaye. The duo combined courtesy of the former’s clever chip behind CF Fuenlabrada’s backline, before some one-touch combinations carved open space for Cufré at the back post to pick his spot with the goal at his mercy.
The defender’s evening would end shortly after as he received his marching orders for a second bookable offence when he tripped Franchu on the edge of the box just past the half-hour mark. Things would go from bad to worse as Iban Salvador converted the resulting free-kick by curling the ball through a of bodies from a difficult angle at the near post.
We concluded the first half with nine men as Antonio Raíllo received a controversial second yellow card for remonstrating with the referee.
Despite our numerical disadvantage, we came racing out the blocks upon the restart and got a reward for early pressure when Abdón Prats levelled matters by heading home Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta’s free-kick in the 53rd minute. The striker’s clever movement saw him meet the set-piece unmarked, although a prolonged VAR review adjudged the goal to be in accordance with the offside law.
Against the run of play as we started to build momentum, Damián restored CF Fuenlabrada’s advantage by volleying into the bottom corner via a deflection from outside the box.
The setback did little to dent our fighting spirit as Antonio Sánchez rattled the crossbar from close range in the 69th minute and Abdón Prats tested Javier Belman, but our efforts would ultimately go unrewarded as 2020 ended with a frustrating defeat.
RCD Mallorca: Manolo Reina, Sastre, Russo, Raíllo, Cufré, Ruiz de Galarreta (67’), Salva Sevilla (46’), Febas (33’), Amath (82’), Mboula (46’), Abdón
Substitutes: Parera, B. Oliván (33’), Alegría (82’), Murilo, Lago Junior, Baba (67’), Gámez, Trajkovski, Sánchez (46’), Sedlar (46’), F. González, Luka
CF Fuenlabrada: Belman, Pol V, Sotillos, Salvador (67’), Cristóbal, Nteka, Kante, Feuillassier (83’), Iribas, Jano (57’), Pulido
Substitutes: Pol, Ruvira, Óscar (67’), Fuentes (83’), Tahiru, Damián (57’)
Goals: Pulido, 0-1 (11’); Cufré, 1-1 (20’); Salvador, 1-2 (33’); Abdón, 2-2 (51’); Damián, 2-3 (63’)
