Lago Junior and Joan Sastre’s first-half strikes saw us start the new year with a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Real Oviedo.
With several players missing due to COVID-19 infection, injury and suspension, Luis Garcia Plaza warned he would rotate his side following our second defeat of the season against CF Fuenlabrada before the winter break. The sanctioned Antonio Raíllo and Braian Cufré were replaced by Aleksandar Sedlar and Brian Oliván in defence, while Iddrisu Baba was preferred to Salva Sevilla in midfield. Mboula’s enforced quarantine saw him miss out to Antonio Sánchez as Lago Junior started in place of substitute Amath Ndiaye.
Torrential rain throughout the Asturias region over the weekend required the Carlos Tartiere to pass a pre-match pitch check, although it was the hosts who had to weather an early storm as we soon found out rhythm in difficult conditions with Inigo Ruiz de Galaretta rattling the woodwork in the 14th minute with a well-taken volley.
Real Oviedo didn’t heed our earlier warning as just a minute later Lago Junior latched onto a misplaced backpass, broke in-behind the hosts’ defence and slipped the ball under the on-rushing Joan Femenias to open the scoring.
Joan Sastre then put himself into the running for goal of the year just three days into 2021 when he unleashed an unsavable drive from 30-yards out to double our advantage in spectacular style with 20 minutes on clock.
Stringing together passages of play became increasingly difficult towards the break with a heavy downpour showing no sign of stopping, suiting Los Azules’ direct style of play as first Nahuel Leiva fired inches over the bar before Rodri struck the post having capitalised on the soaked surface to round Manono Reina following a defensive mix-up.
Real Oviedo’s period of control saw Javi Mier latch onto a deep set-piece with a first-time volley to pull a goal back on the stroke of half-time, although we headed into the break looking to regroup after a stop-start end to the opening 45 minutes.
With little to separate the two sides upon the restart, chances were few and far between as the game became reduced to half-chances at set-pieces – a rhythm of play which ultiamtley resulted in Alejandro Arribas heading home a corner in the 68th minute.
Femenias denied Iddrisu Baba from providing an instant response with a straight forward save, before Samuel Obeng struck the cross bar with a looping header moments away from full time.
We boarded the flight home from Oviedo with a deserved point and moving level with RCD Espanyol at the top of the table, although attention will now turn to the hosting of Las Palmas in a week’s time.
RCD Mallorca: Reina, Sastre, Russo, Sedlar, Oliván (58’), Baba, Febas (54’), Ruiz de Galarreta, Lago Junior, Antonio Sánchez, Abdón (87’)
Substitutes: Parera, Alegría (87’), Murilo, Gámez (58’), Trajkovski, F. González, Luka, Iván Bravo, Ibrahim Diabate, Salva Sevilla, Leo, Amath (54’)
Real Oviedo: Femenías, Juanjo Nieto, Arribas, Christian, Mossa, Viti (86’), Javi Mier, Jimmy, Nahuel, Leiva (90’), Rodri (72’), Blanco Leschuk
Substitutes: Simone Grippo, Aburjania, Hernández (90’), Johannesson, Brazão, Obeng (72’), Teguia (86’), Riki, Ahijado, Guerra Rodríguez
Goals: Lago Junior 15’, 0-1; Sastre 20’, 0-2; Javi Mier 44’, 1-2; Alejandro Arribas 68’, 2-2
