Real Mallorca won only their second away match of the season and their first victory in eleven games when they held on for a gutsy 3-2 victory against Sevilla Atletico in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday night. The win means we're now six points from salvation with six games left, four of them in the Son Moix, and 18 points to play for until the end of the season.
Sunday's game wasn't for the faint-hearted as Mallorca were up to their old tricks of passing the ball predominantly sideways and backwards but they did take the lead with a penalty on the half-hour mark. Brandon looked to be fouled in the area, although replays showed otherwise. He stepped up to convert the penalty, his first goal for five months. Sevilla came back into the game as Mallorca did their usual sit back and relax scenario, their goal came under siege, but somehow they kept a clean sheet in the first 45 minutes. In the second half Mallorca had a couple of attacks that broke down, then in the 53rd minute Angelino squared to Moutinho and he hit an absolute howitzer from 30 yards past a helpless Caro in the home goal. We were in dreamland – but not for long.
A minute later the home side pulled one back. Time and time again we left the far post unattended from set pieces and my mate Billy Morris was not a happy man. He even texted our general manager Maheta Molango telling him to advise the coach to get somebody on the far post - he didn't get an answer ! Just as the Mallorca fans were enjoying our two-goal lead, Sevilla pulled one back through Ivi, the ball coming down off the crossbar but it had clearly crossed the line.
It was now nail-chewing time as Mallorca began to crumble. Would they hold on? Just when it looked like Sevilla would equalise, Mallorca scored another goal out of nothing in the 62nd minute. The same combination, Angelino and Moutinho, were again involved, as Moutinho lashed home from just inside the area. By now Mallorca had made changes, Sasa came on for a tiring Culio as the game became stretched. Pol Roige took Lago Junior's place and Lekic substituted for a limping Moutinho.
With time running out, a silly over-the-top tackle from Campabadal saw Ivi put away a penalty and it was backs to the wall time. Somehow Mallorca managed to hang on for an unexpected three points – but their relegation fight is far from over.
Summing up: The weekend's results weren't too bad for Mallorca and the biggest cheer of the night in the bar came when Mirandes equalised against Cordoba in the 94th minute just before our game started. The win on Sunday has kept our staying-up hopes alive. With four of our remaining six fixtures here in Palma, it's imperative that we win all these home matches to keep the miracle alive. Elche, who sacked their coach last Friday, are here next Saturday, then it's Valladolid away on Saturday, 13th May. With relegation-threatened Elche, Almeria and Mirandes on the agenda it's all set up for an exciting end to the season. Can Mallorca do it? It's going to be an emotional roller-coaster.
Three players stood out for Mallorca on Sunday in a much more aggressive performance: Thierry Moutinho with two stunning work-of-art strikes from distance, with his left and right foot, both laid on by Manchester City loanee Angelino, who looks quality, and Alex Vallejo who was a Colossus in midfield. The pairing of Brandon and Moutinho upfront seemed to work - long may it continue. As they left a packed Mallorcafé, jubilant fans for a change were buoyed up, saying “Sí, se puede” (Yes we can). One of Mallorca's owners, basketball star Steve Nash, said on Twitter after the game: “Proud of RCD Mallorca boys today! Vamossss!”