March 03, (THEWILL)- Girona’s pursuit of La Liga leaders Real Madrid suffered a setback on Sunday, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against a resolute Mallorca side. The match, which was played at Mallorca’s home ground, saw Jose Copete’s first goal of the season prove decisive in the hosts’ battle to avoid relegation.
The visitors had an early opportunity to take the lead when Miguel Gutierrez’s cross found Ivan Martinez in the area, but the striker’s header was comfortably saved by Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic. Mallorca’s first attempt on goal came from Giovanni Gonzalez, whose long-range effort sailed over the crossbar.
The deadlock was broken just after the half-hour mark when a corner kick fell to Copete inside the box, and the defender made no mistake, slamming the ball into the roof of the net to give Mallorca a crucial lead. Girona sought an immediate response, with Savio attempting a spectacular equaliser from outside the box, but his shot flew high and wide.
Mallorca nearly doubled their advantage four minutes into the second half, but Antonio Raillo’s header from a Dani Rodriguez corner drifted over the crossbar. As the second period progressed, clear-cut chances were at a premium, with Girona dominating possession but struggling to break down a determined Mallorca defence. The hosts looked dangerous on the counter-attack, with Abdon Prats’ drilled effort narrowly missing the far post.
In the closing stages, Girona increased the pressure on Mallorca’s defence, with Portu and Savio both seeing goal-bound efforts deflected over the crossbar. Yan Couto had a final opportunity to salvage a point for the visitors but Rajkovic was equal to the task, tipping the ball over the woodwork to secure a vital win for Mallorca. The result leaves Girona seven points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid, who drew 2-2 with Valencia on Saturday and marks their third defeat in four matches.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
