Real Mallorca, after a great start, succumbed to a team with nine players aged 20 years or under when Bilbao Athletic won 3-1 at New San Mames on Sunday. We got off to the best possible start when, after just three minutes, a mix-up in the home defence allowed Brandon Thomas to gain possession before squaring the ball to new signing Rolando Bianchi who scored with his first touch on his debut. To say the Italian had a mixed baptism would be an understatement because for the second week running we had a player sent off. Bianchi saw a second yellow card in the 84th minute for a challenge he couldn't have too many complaints about. Once again Mallorca failed to consolidate on an early breakthrough and Bilbao's 27th minute equaliser had farcical undertones. The home side won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area near the goal line. The ball eventually broke to Undabarrena and his shot hit the post, rolled along the goal line and Santamaria was alert and quickest to toe-poke the equaliser, 1-1. As half time beckoned, Bianchi got his first yellow card in Spanish football after elbowing a Bilbao defender on the head.
After the break Coro came on for Araña, and set up an opportunity for Bianchi but he blazed over from ten yards. Both teams played at great pace for a second division game, then in the 73rd minute disaster struck for Mallorca. A calamitous error by young Ghanaian centre-back Kasim Adams allowed Seguin to nip in and put the Basques ahead. Kasim completely under-hit a back-pass to goalkeeper Cabrero, who raced from his goal, found himself in no-man's-land, giving Seguin a couple of attempts before he forced the ball over the line, 2-1. Kasim may well be good in the air but on the ground he's always susceptible to making howlers and there's no question his mistake cost Mallorca at least a draw. Things then went from bad to worse with Bianchi getting his marching orders. In the third minute of time added on and with Mallorca in the home team's half chasing the game, Bilbao broke away. It was a case of three attackers against one goalkeeper as the home side's Villalibre won't score an easier goal this season. The referee blew for time with Mallorca being well beaten by a team of “kids.”
Summing up: Against Bilbao Athletic on Sunday we were poor, and got what we deserved. We had a shaky defence, a non-existent midfield and attackers who missed at least three golden scoring opportunities. Young Kasim Adams had a nightmare and will surely not start next week against table-topping Numancia at the Son Moix on Sunday at 5pm. That's a real test for our new team and let's just see how far they've come on in just a month. On present form, we're still in the starting stalls! The referee showed Mallorca several yellow cards and we've had two players dismissed in two games. It's another case of us tiptoeing on the disciplinary tightrope. The only positives coach “Chapi” Ferrer can take from this defeat were the form of young Brandon Thomas and to a lesser extent (much lesser) Michael Pereira.
As expected, the local sporting media have been scathing in their condemnation of Sunday's defeat, some of it correct but a lot of it very negative. After just three games we've lost two away on the road, and won one at home thanks to a penalty kick. There's room for a huge dollop of improvement from everybody. On Sunday after a bright start we fell away badly. This is not the promotion form we fans want or were promised – and the upcoming Numancia game now takes on special significance. It's a must-win game even this early in the campaign. Somehow, and quickly, Ferrer has to piece together the puzzle of picking a winning team from 15 new signings.
Mallorca fans know life in the Spanish second division is no picnic. As if things on Saturday weren't bad enough, a bizarre incident near the end brought a bit of light relief in an otherwise pretty torrid 90 minutes. Mallorca's centre half Lucas Aveldaño received a solid elbow body check from referee Eiriz Mata near the end, in an incident that sent the big Argentinian flying. The event, which was all over social media, is sure to be on one of those football bloopers programmes.
Diary Date : Cup match, Thursday 10th September against Huesca, kick off 8 pm. Now that will be one man and his dog at Son Moix.