Real Mallorca dropped two crucial points at home to Mirandes on Sunday night in a game that finished 1-1 after the Palma side totally dominated the first half. Like last Wednesday’s win away at Huesca, Mallorca looked really impressive for the first period then got sloppy and once again let their opponents back into the game. We took the lead on the half hour mark when, after good work from Portuguese winger Salomao, Ortuño scored his opening goal for the club and became the only Mallorca striker to score for weeks. He looked well tasty and fans couldn’t believe this was only his second start since coming in January on loan from Las Palmas. But surely at home we should have played with two strikers.
The home team looked to be in cruise control against a very modest Mirandes side whose only threat came from their number 8 Marco Sangalli who was by far their most influential attacker. He scored a brilliant equaliser just before half time after a horrendous mistake by centre back Truyols which silenced the 7,000 home crowd. At half time the bar outlets were quieter than usual as fans tried to get their heads around how Mallorca weren’t ahead after they had so many clear-cut chances.
After the break the game deteriorated alarmingly and Mallorca went to pieces. Time and time again we gave the ball away indiscriminately and the longer game went on the more tired we looked after our third game in a week. The least said about the second half the better as proceedings on the pitch should have carried a government health warning.
Once again Real Mallorca fans left the Son Moix dazed and confused as to how difficult a game of football can be, especially when it’s played by our team who looked in total disarray in the second half.
SUMMING UP:
Mallorca finish the week with four points from a possible nine and this was our tenth draw of a pretty bleak season and our sixth at the Son Moix. The result means we’re still only three points away from being sucked back into the relegation zone, with Ponferradina doing us a small favour by beating Huesca 2-1. For most of the first half we were impressive with Ortuño a constant danger up front looking like the solution to our striker problems, although he missed a couple of half chances in the second half. He took his first half chance brilliantly, posing a threat for most of the game.
Next Sunday we travel to Almeria who are one point behind us and I don’t have to explain the significance of that game: it’s crucial we get something at the Juegos Mediterraneos stadium. After that it’s a home game against league leaders Leganes followed by an away trip to Zaragoza. On present form it doesn’t look like we’ll get much from these two games, but you never know.
On Sunday, after the break the whole caboodle went tits up. Vazquez made some very strange changes, the tricky Salomao being replaced by youngster Pol Roige and even more surprisingly Lago Junior making way for Brandon Thomas who was left out of recent games because the coach said he kept giving the ball away too often. In the second half I lost count of how many times we gave away possession as some of our players looked knackered after having played their third game in a week.
What really annoys me, especially at home games, is why, when we defend a corner or free kick, our striker has to come back and help out. He should be standing in the centre circle, giving us an attacking option so when the keeper gets the ball he’s got a target to aim for. Another major gripe is when we win a corner. Why does the player taking it have to jog slowly towards the corner flag? Run towards it - we need three points to win and stay in La Segunda.
Mallorca must carry on their first half intensity into the second period because at the moment we look like a team that can only play 45 minutes.