At residence to a facet promoted final season through the play-offs, Mallorca caught to Javier Aguirre’s defensive form and had been content material to permit the guests to have extra of the possession in the course of the first half.
A shot by Rodrigo Riquelme on the half hour was the most effective try at objective by both facet, till Mallorca sprang into life from two corners and what was initially given as a penalty within the thirty eighth minute. Referee Isidro Díaz de Mera reversed his resolution after a VAR test and rescinded a yellow card for a foul by Girona keeper Juan Carlos on Mallorca’s José Copete.
Riquelme had an excellent higher alternative to present Girona the lead after 9 minutes of the second interval when a clearance dropped to him within the penalty space; his shot went over.
Carlos saved Clément Grenier’s 74th minute effort following good work by Lee Kang-in, the South Korean’s cross getting in behind the Girona defence. It was then the flip of Sáiz to separate the Mallorca defence and arrange Arnau Martínez, whose shot went simply vast.
Following a interval of extended Girona possession, Mallorca obtained a nook three minutes from the tip of regular time. Centre-back Antonio Raíllo managed Lee’s nook along with his chest and shot previous Carlos to make it one-nil to Mallorca. However nearly instantly afterwards, Copete pushed Vallejo within the space, and Samu Sáiz slotted residence the penalty.
Mallorca: Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raíllo, Copete, Costa; Lee, Sánchez (Grenier 58), Battaglia (Galarreta 90), D. Rodríguez (Abdón 72); Muriqi
Girona: Carlos; Bueno, D. López (Hernández 90+), Juanpe; Martínez, Romeu, A. García, Gutíerrez (Bernardo 90+); Reinier (Villa 64), Castellanos (Sáiz 78), Riquelme (Vallejo 78)
Attendance: 13,390.
