Mallorca have extracted a valuable point from the Ramón the Carranza stadium after drawing one all versus hosts Cádiz in a game that Reds started one nil down to a penalty that was heavily criticized. The team came back and took control of the game for a good part of the ninety minutes.
The game started well for Reds, who were eager to show down against rivals. Control of the ball was translated into chances. The clearest one for Brandon and Óscar Diaz in the 10th minute, but they did not convert it into goal given the locals’ great defensive output.
Vázquez boys took the ball again, which circulated way faster in their boots than in the Yellows’ boots. The Yellows’ kept deep in their pitch and abused the long-ball solution to Ortuño to build their game from there. As a matter of fact, the first clear-cut occasion for the Cervera soldiers did not come earlier than the 27th minute when the referee whistled a very contested penalty by Company on Ortuño, a player who last year played for the Mallorca outfit. The former RCD Mallorca killer did not miss the opportunity and put their team-mates up front despite the lack of the justice witnessed so far.
Islanders did not throw in the towell and keep trying through crosses to the box that the local defence cleared effectively without much trouble. Brandon in the 37th minute had a really good chance, but his shoot went just wide sliding through the post.
The second half started softer from a Mallorca perspective. It was now Cádiz running down the left wing creating some danger for the Mallorca goal, kept by Santamaría. Progressively the play was level again and Mallorca went back into bullying Cádiz, with long possessions and quick passing.
Danger was a word written by Vázquez proteges. In the 52th minute, they had a fantastic occasion from a ball that bounced into the area and no-one managed to volley it. In the 61th minute Juan Rodríguez missed a superb cross by inches.
So much trying was put by the Reds that in the 66th minute a deflected ball in the box wound up in Óscar Díaz’s boots and he did not squander it this time. Score was level now one all at the Carranza. Reds did not give up. Lekic came on and in the 75th minute had a wonderful chance that the Cádiz defence succeeded at averting it. A minute later, Company missiled a ball from outside the box and the ball went for the top corner but flew wide just one feet away.
Mallorca was having a monologue and was stalking Cádiz’s goal, Cifuentes between the sticks. Locals trying to remedy this pushed deeper back and cleared any ball that came by through a Red attack.
In the last minutes of the game control was lost from either side and both teams counter-attacked. Company was sent off in the 90th minute and that gave wings to the locals who corners visitors, but luckily without no cigar, up until the referee blew the final whistle.
