Real Mallorca 2 - Bilbao Athletic 3
Mallorca, two wins to the good in the past two matches and on the way back after the disastrous first half to the season, at home against the team propping up Liga Segunda, Bilbao B, aka Bilbao Athletic. A home banker?
The opening minutes looked as though it was bound to be, Mallorca buzzing and Lago Júnior, carrying on from his impressive debut last week, putting Mallorca ahead after 13 minutes. This, though, sparked Bilbao into life, and very quick life, Etxeberria, the full back, driving in eight minutes later. Brandon caused González some problems as Mallorca forced a series of corners, from which nothing came. Iriondo went down in the box for Bilbao, claimed a penalty and was booked.
Straight after the break, another corner for Mallorca, and centre-back Aveldaño headed home from Pereira and managed to get himself booked for his celebration. The lead restored, and it seemed as if Mallorca might ease to a win, but no. Just as with the first goal, Bilbao replied swiftly, this time through Santamaría following a Wellenreuther mistake. Bilbao claimed another penalty after twenty minutes - turned down - but Mallorca were all over the place at the back as Bilbao stunned them through a Vesga header.
Aketxe might have added a fourth with quarter of an hour left, as Mallorca seemed to run out of ideas. Sissoko was booked for diving in the box in time added on. Yuste got a second yellow, and that was that.
Next game away to mid-table Numancia takes on some significance, with Mallorca hovering again just above the relegation zone and needing to prove that all the new players brought in have been worth it and that those two previous wins weren't flashes in the pan.
Mallorca
Wellenreuther; Company, Costas, Aveldaño, Oriol; Sissoko, Yuste, Pereira, Brandon (Díaz 58); Lago Júnior (Salomao 75), Acuña (Ortuño 58)
Bilbao
González; Etxeberria, Yeray, Ramalho, Gil, Iriondo; López, Undabarrena (Iru 87), Vesga, Aketxe (Itturaspe 83); Santamaría (Villalibre 62)
Goals
Mallorca: Lago Júnior (13); Aveldaño (46)
Bilbao: Etxeberria (21); Santamaría (53); Vesga (67)
Cards
Mallorca: Aveldaño yellow 47; Wellenreuther yellow 53; Yuste yellow 84, red 90+; Sissoko yellow 90; Pereira yellow 90
Bilbao: Undabarrena yellow 23; Iriondo yellow 39; Ramalho yellow 63
Attendance: 9,993