Real Mallorca 3-1 Sporting Gijón

Real Mallorca defeated Real Sporting de Gijón 3-1 at the Iberostar Estadi in the Copa del Rey Round of 32. Two goals from Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi and Spanish centre back Rubén Gonzalez gave Los Bermellones the perfect revenge for their 2-0 loss earlier in the season, giving them a good advantage to travel to Gijón with in a couple of weeks time for the second leg.

Despite the knock-down prices, there were still only 9,774 spectators that attended the game in the competition nicknamed La Copa de las rotaciones (Rotations Cup). The game saw chances for second choice goalkeeper, Germán Lux, defenders Martí Crespí, Rubén and Kevin. Meanwhile, Pereira, Joao Victor, Pina and Tejera all got their chances at some point.

It took just 11 minutes for Mallorca to open the scoring after Víctor got onto the end of a long ball from the Los Bermellones defence. Despite failing to control it, the ball came off Víctor looping over the goalkeeper, dropping perfectly for Argentine Fernando Cavenaghi to make it 1-0.

Soon after, a cross from Ratinho reached Víctor who’s scuffed attempt should have done much better than just flying over the crossbar.

More chances fell for Mallorca before they won a penalty after 32 minutes for an infringement on Cavenaghi. He took the resulting penalty which was saved, before scoring the rebound to make it 2-0 to the home side.

Sporting Gijón went close before the break going inches past the post, but it was after the break in which the tide started to turn. And 15 minutes in, a free kick was met by the end of a Sporting player forcing Lux into a save. The rebound fell for Barral who gave Sporting a lifeline making it 2-1.

Despite having chances to equalise, it was Pereira who went closest in the second half as his deflected shot looped over the goalkeeper but ended up just over thanks to the keepers fingertips. But Mallorca put the leg to bed when a cross was met by central defender Rubén towering over the Sporting defence to power a header into the back of the net in stoppage time making it 3-1 to the home side.

Teams

Real Mallorca (4-4-2): Lux; Ratinho, Martí Crespí, Rubén, Kevin; Nsue (Tejera 56), Martí (c) (Pina 70), Joao Victor, Pereira; Cavenaghi (Sergi 76), Víctor.
Subtitutes: Aouate; Cendrós, Ramís, Corrales; Pina, Tejera; Sergi Enrich.

Goalscorers: Cavenaghi 11, 33; Rubén 90.

Real Sporting de Gijón (4-5-1): Cuéllar; Sastre, Botía, Jorge (c), Pedro Orfila; Marco Landeira (Carmelo HT), Sergio Álvarez (Rivera 82), Eguren, Luis Morán (Barral 56), Diego Castro; Bilic.
Substitutes: Juan Pablo, Carmelo, Rivera, Iván Hernández, Portilla, Barral, Juan Muñiz.

Goalscorer: Barral 59.