Real Mallorca took a prestigious scalp on Sunday night, beating Villareal in the Ciudad de Valencia stadium 0-2.
Two goals from Muriqi in the 32nd minute and Amath in the 72nd minute saw them beat one of Europe’s top sides, subduing their richly talented attack.
Boasting a little over 20% possession at half time, the odds looked stacked against us. We opened the scoring with our first proper attack just past the half hour mark.
A brilliant through ball from stand-in captain Dani Rodriguez found Uruguayan right back Gio Gonzalez unmarked on the right, his pass found Muriqi and his toe-poke looked covered by Villareal’s keeper Rulli.
However, the ball cannoned off Albiol’s foot, deflecting the trajectory with Rulli going the wrong way, 0-1. That was Muriqi’s seventh goal of the season. Despite our lead, Mallorca continued to be way behind on the possession count, but in football that doesn’t count, goals do.
Even without the absence through suspension of captain Raillo and Maffeo, we were rock solid at the back. Not only were we one up, but we managed to keep one of the most potent attacks in European football under wraps.
Mallorca continued to repel all boarders until Villareal’s Nigerian striker Samu Chukwueze saw his brilliantly struck free kick come back off the woodwork. That was Villareal’s first clear chance in the entire match.
That near thing caused Mallorca coach Toni Amor from El Arenal (standing in for a suspended Javier Aguirre, who sat high up in the stands on his own like a Mexican version of Billy “No Mates”!) to bring on some fresh legs.
Amath and Sanchez came on for Dani Rodriguez (who will miss Wednesday night’s game against Atletico Madrid after receiving his fifth yellow card on Sunday night) and Kang In Lee who had a quiet game playing out of position down the left flank.
In the 74th minute we witnessed a wonderful goal. After coming on as a sub, with his second touch Amath scored out of nothing. Muriqi headed down a Galarreta free kick to the Senegalese attacker and from the edge of the penalty area he walloped in a dipping volley.
It was an absolute worldy and is sure to be one of the goals of the weekend and indeed of the season. Catch it if you can on You Tube.
Mallorca held on for a famous victory. We’ve now won two games in Valencia this season, six points, three in the Mestalla against Valencia and three in Levante’s Ciudad stadium. This was an ideal game for Mallorca but a tough watch for us Mallorquinistas. Without a doubt we have one of the toughest defences in La Liga as Villareal found out, as they huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way through.
We now play our last game before the World Cup break on WEDNESDAY night at 9:30pm against a struggling At. Madrid in the Son Moix. We have nothing to fear from Simeone’s team, who will be without their 125 million euro striker, Joao Felix, and centre half Jose Gimenez who are suspended. Plus the fact that many of their side will be playing at the World Cup in Qatar and don’t want to pick up an injury that would see them miss this controversial tournament. The Palma side go into Wednesday night’s game in a highly creditable 12th place on 16 points. Sunday night’s fantastic win sees us break out of the relegation area and with our confidence sky high.
We beat a Villareal side who hadn’t lost at home all season and it’s the first time we’ve won away against them since 2004. Visca Mallorca !