UD Las Palmas picked up a point in Son Moix, but deserved more due to the chances they created, especially in the second half. Manolo Jiménez kept the same starting line-up this afternoon against RCD Mallorca, unsurprising perhaps following the convincing win last week against CD Numancia. He played a 1-4-4-2 formation with the attacking threesome of Rubén Castro-Sergio Araujo-Rafa Mir once again featuring. The yellows played their very best in Son Moix with two goals in the first quarter of an hour. Rafa Mir scored the first, 0-1 (m. 7) and Rubén Castro the second 0-2 (min. 13). In defence they were able to recover possession with ease, while up front the goal-scoring instinct of their strikers did the rest to unsettle a Real Mallorca side that were attempting to play a short game, but who came up against a superior team that was really fired up. This hopeful start then gradually began to fizzle out.
UD Las Palmas had a spell in which they suffered as Mallorca surged forward with wave after wave of attack. The away area remained intact despite the marauding attack because the high balls that were launched into the box were met by the capable hands of goalkeeper Raúl Fernández. But when Lago Junior pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute everything changed. Las Palmas lost their bearings, and in the last move of the first half Stoichkov pulled the scores level 2-2 much to the disappointment of the yellows. It signalled the start of another match.
The muscle injury to David García early in the second half upset the plans of Las Palmas’ manager. He brought on Deivid to replace the injured man, making his season’s league debut. Real Mallorca began to assert themselves on the match and laid siege to the away goal. In a quick break Araujo came forward and threatened Las Palmas’ third goal, but on this occasion Reina was able to block Rubén Castro’s low shot. With Tana and Sacko now on the pitch UD looked to play a more direct style. It was hard to get the ball off a good Mallorca side, but when they did they exploited the gaps at the back. In the 80th minute Araujo showed great skill, including a clever cut back. With the away team jumping off the bench ready to celebrate a goal, his final shot scraped the post. In the final minutes Las Palmas re-established the balance of play in their favour, and Araujo had another great chance. Rubén Castro also had a goal ruled out for possible offside. At the final whistle Las Palmas had to settle for a point that felt more like two points dropped.
UD Las Palmas had a spell in which they suffered as Mallorca surged forward with wave after wave of attack. The away area remained intact despite the marauding attack because the high balls that were launched into the box were met by the capable hands of goalkeeper Raúl Fernández. But when Lago Junior pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute everything changed. Las Palmas lost their bearings, and in the last move of the first half Stoichkov pulled the scores level 2-2 much to the disappointment of the yellows. It signalled the start of another match.
The muscle injury to David García early in the second half upset the plans of Las Palmas’ manager. He brought on Deivid to replace the injured man, making his season’s league debut. Real Mallorca began to assert themselves on the match and laid siege to the away goal. In a quick break Araujo came forward and threatened Las Palmas’ third goal, but on this occasion Reina was able to block Rubén Castro’s low shot. With Tana and Sacko now on the pitch UD looked to play a more direct style. It was hard to get the ball off a good Mallorca side, but when they did they exploited the gaps at the back. In the 80th minute Araujo showed great skill, including a clever cut back. With the away team jumping off the bench ready to celebrate a goal, his final shot scraped the post. In the final minutes Las Palmas re-established the balance of play in their favour, and Araujo had another great chance. Rubén Castro also had a goal ruled out for possible offside. At the final whistle Las Palmas had to settle for a point that felt more like two points dropped.
