Girona 0 - Real Mallorca 1
Real Mallorca ended their poor run of form on the road with a magnificent real-guard action 0-1 win at Girona on Friday night. With almost the entire bottom half of La Liga fighting for survival, both sides sussed an opportunity to ease their predicaments.
The Palma boys were denied what looked like a clear penalty early on when Pablo Torre was felled in the area. It’s unbelievable that VAR didn’t consider an intervention. Mallorca continued to dominate the first half and a minute from half time they took a deserved lead. Mojica, who had a superb game, crossed to the unmarked Samu Costa who headed in to give him his seventh goal of the season. Under new coach Demichelis, Costa has had a new lease of life and looks set to be a member of the Portuguese World Cup squad in the summer.
Girona looked a different team in the second half and the Mallorca goal led a charmed life. The home side rattled the goal frame twice. By now there was no question that this was a different defensive showing from the visitors and Girona should have equalised in the 83rd minute. Their longest-serving player Stuani’s tame effort was saved by Leo Roman who was another hero for Mallorca, making a string of great saves.
This was only Mallorca’s second away win of the season and their first every victory at Girona in La Liga. Coach Demichelis surprised everybody by selecting French Under 21 winger Justin Kalumba Jnr, giving him his first start. The youngster showed some neat touches before suffering muscle discomfort. Virgili, who was reported to have gastroenteritis before the game, came on for Kalumba but only lasted until the 71st minute before he left the pitch and ran straight down the tunnel!!
I hid behind the sofa for the last five minutes as Mallorca put up an epic display of survival. From a supporter’s perspective, this was the kind of night that defines a season, not pretty, far from comfortable but absolutely vital. The second half seemed endless. Girona dominated possession and territory while Mallorca dropped deeper and deeper. It was trench warfare.
The result lifts Mallorca up the table to 15th with the weekend’s games to come. With four games to go, it’s a case of fine margins. This victory, beating a direct rival away from home, is enormous. The team gave a truly Herculean effort towards the end and got a result few believed possible. Demichelis promised a Mallorca side that would show their teeth from the start and that’s exactly what happened.
Next Sunday, May 10, Mallorca play their penultimate home game in Son Moix against third top Villarreal, kick off 2pm. Difficult but not impossible.