Betis were the first home opposition for Mallorca last season, when the score was 1-1. Having drawn the opening match of this season away in Bilbao, thanks to keeper Rajkovic, Mallorca would have been hoping to go one better than last year. After three minutes, however, that hope lessened. Battaglia clearly handled the ball in the area, and a VAR check eventually confirmed this - Borja Iglesias put Betis ahead from the penalty spot.
On 15 minutes, it could have been two down, but Juanmi failed to capitalise on a Copete error. Three corners for Mallorca followed in quick succession, without causing any alarms for the visitors, who spent most of the remainder of the first half in control. Fekir shot over the bar into added time at the end of the half, Betis on top.
Ten minutes into the second period, Mallorca equalised, Vedat Muriqi heading in Lee Kang-in's centre. But parity didn't last long. In the 69th minute, referee Pablo González Fuertes signalled a penalty for a block by Battaglia on Fekir. Despite the protests, the penalty stood and Iglesias added his second.
Muriqi might have got it back to 2-2 five minutes later, and Lee hit the post on 85 minutes. With nine minutes added time, Mallorca pressed for the equaliser, a shot from Pablo Maffeo hitting a Betis defender and going out for a corner. The equaliser didn't come, but - and though it became difficult to keep track - it seemed as if there was a draw in terms of yellow cards: 8-8.
Mallorca: Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raíllo, Copete (Lago 87), Costa; Lee, Grenier (Sánchez 64), Battaglia (Baba 78), D. Rodríguez (Abdón 78); Muriqi
Betis: Silva; Riubal, Pezzella, González, Moreno; G. Rodríguez, Carvalho (Loren 87); Rodri (Rober 64), Fakir, Juanmi; Iglesias (Paul 78)
Attendance: 15,579.
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