Salva Sevilla’s second-half penalty stretched our run of consecutive victories to three games as we overcame CD Lugo 1-0 at the Estadio Anxo Carro.
Luis García Plaza made four changes to the side which beat CD Tenerife 2-0 at the Visit Mallorca Estadi. With Lago Junior, Martin Valjent and Iddrisu Baba away on international duty with their respective countries, Aleksandar Sedlar, Briaian Cufré and Franco Russo were handed their first starts of the season. Alex Alegría was preferred to Abdón Prats in the central striker role as new signing Amath Ndiaye was included among the substitutes.
A late change to the fixture schedule earlier on in the week had moved the game forward by a day, and despite a change of hotels and training timetables, we quickly settled into the combative manner of play García had told his players to expect in his pre-match press conference.
Playing in a more advanced role in front of left Brain Oliván, Cufré had the game’s first attempt on goal in the 15th minute when he did well to turn his marker and curl an effort wide of the top corner.
Fellow new boy Murilo was next to try his luck in the succeeding passage of play having broken into the box, although Ander Cantero managed to hold onto his driven effort.
Cufré continued to get joy out of the left flank as Dani Rodríguez floated in the space behind Alegría, a combination which saw the latter just inches away from connecting with the former’s low cross into the box.
Half chances for both sides would follow, but we ultimately went into the dressing room with the scores level come the break unable to convert our control into goals.
A deserved breakthrough came 10 minutes into the second half when a lengthy VAR review adjudged Carlos Pita to have handled in the box. Despite the delay, Salva Sevilla never looked in doubt as he stepped up, held his nerve and fired home the resulting penalty to give us the lead.
Piling on the pressure as we looked to extend our advantage, Joan Sastre went on a marauding run forward and unleashed a fierce shot just wide of the target in the 64th minute.
The final 15 minutes swung further in our favour when the hosts were reduced to 10 men as Xavi Torres received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
A tense finale followed as CD Lugo went on the offensive in search of a late equaliser, although our defence remained resolute to record their third consecutive clean sheet and an important three points ahead of a trip to CD Mirandés in a week's time.
RCD Mallorca: Manolo Reina, Joan Sastre, Raíllo, Russo, B. Oliván, Cufré (74’), Sedlar, Murilo, Salva Sevilla (86’), Dani Rodríguez (86’), Murilo (69’), Alegría
Substitutes: Miquel Parera, Leo, Iván Bravo, De Galarreta (86’), Antonio Sánchez (74’), Luka Romero, Abdón, Fran Gámez (86’), Sedlar, Febas (69’), Ibraim, Amath, Mboula
CD Lugo: Ander, Xavi T, Diego Alende, Pita, Seoane, Herrera (79’), Barreiro, Borja (58’), Gerard (86’), Rodríguez, Luis Ruíz
Substitutes: Varo, Barbosa, Juanpe, Hugo Rama, Carrillo (79’), Pedro, Canella, Chris Ramos (86’), Campabadal (58’), Venancio, Iriome, Quindimil
Goles: Salva Sevilla, 0-1 (56’)
