Mallorca had a couple of chances to draw level but Kadewere (playing up front for the suspended Muriqi) saw both efforts easily dealt with by Sociedad ’keeper Remiro.
The first half for us Mallorquinistas was purgatory (a place where souls waiting for Heaven are purified!) and referee Martinez Munuera put all of us out of our misery when he blew for half time.
The first half for Real Mallorca seemed like a continuation of last week’s 0-1 defeat by Elche but all that was about to change after the break. Abdon and Amath came on for Jaume Costa and Kadewere as coach Aguirre changed to a 4-4-2 formation with Maffeo as a makeshift left back.
Aguirre’s inspired changes completely inspired Real Mallorca as a surprised Sociedad suddenly found themselves on the back foot.
In the 49th minute came the equaliser, a long clearance from ’keeper Rajkovic was headed on by Abdon Prats. Kang In Lee, who had easily his best game for Mallorca, latched onto the ball, after Sociedad defender Pacheco had slipped. The South Korean dribbled past Remiro and scored into an empty net. The many South Korean fans at the game enjoyed that one.
About this time Mallorca went on the attack again and a defensive slip by Sociedad saw the ball cross the goal line. It was at least six inches over the line (I was sitting some 50 yards away) but the nearside linesman who was 10 yards away failed to see the ball was out of play. Another similar incident happened towards the end and perhaps the linesman should book an appointment at Specsavers in Santa Ponsa!
Sociedad then had the ball in the net in the 59th minute as Le Normand’s header went in from a corner kick. The Frenchman went to celebrate his goal but much to the relief of the home fans, the goal was ruled out for a foul on Galarreta.
Five minutes from time Mallorca came mighty close to the winner. Amath saw his effort cannon off the post with Remiro well beaten.
Mallorca put an end to their two-game losing streak and won a valuable point. If you can’t win, at least don’t lose.
SUMMING UP: Sunday’s Kang In Lee was the first we’d scored against Real Sociedad since September 2012 and the Basque side had become a “bestia negra” (Nemesis) as far as we were concerned. We’re now on 32 points, seven clear of the drop zone in La Liga. It looked bad for Mallorca when they went behind so early but in the end it was a good result after a terrible first half.
We looked to have lost confidence in the first half and we gave the ball away far too often. Coach Aguirre worked the miracle at half time as his changes transformed the outcome.
The team obviously had a rollicking in the dressing room at half time or did Aguirre tell the team, in the words of Harry Redknapp, to “run around a bit more in the second half !!”
PS Mallorca’s Zimbabewean striker Tino Kadewere, who was substituted at half time, was taken to a local clinic for observation after suffering from heat stroke.
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