Adrián Fuentes was the decisive man once again for RCD Mallorca. His 81st-minute goal gave the Balearic side a hard-fought 0-1 victory at Real Sociedad II this Saturday in Zubieta, in the sixth matchday of the Segunda División.
The result allows Luis García's team to add three more points and solidify their hold on third place in the table, now with 10 points from five games.
A match of few chances
The game in Zubieta was a tactical and balanced duel, with few clear-cut chances for either side. Mallorca, who enjoyed 60% of possession, controlled the tempo but struggled to create real danger in front of Aitor Fraga's goal. The first half passed without major incident, with a yellow card for the home side's Tomás Carbonell in the 33rd minute.
Luis García made his first change at halftime, bringing on Arnau Puigmal for Miguel Calatayud. The match remained subdued until the introduction of Josep Cerda for Álex Sala in the 63rd minute injected freshness into the visitors' midfield. It was Cerda who, eighteen minutes later, provided the assist for Fuentes' match-winning goal.
The winning strike
The move came from a good combination down the right flank. Josep Cerda received the ball in space and delivered a cross to the back post, where Adrián Fuentes arrived to head past Fraga. The goal, in the 81st minute, sparked celebrations on the Mallorca bench and decided a match that had proven difficult.
Real Sociedad II, who also saw Ibai Aguirre booked, tried to react in the final minutes but failed to seriously trouble Arnau Tenas. Mallorca finished the game with three yellow cards, shown to Aboubaka Soumahoro, Manu Morlanes and Adam Buksa.
Consolidation in the upper reaches
With this victory, RCD Mallorca reaches 10 points and remains in third place in the Segunda División. The team has strung together two consecutive league wins. Adrián Fuentes, the goalscorer, is the team's top scorer this season with three goals in five appearances.
The next fixture for Luis García's men is at Son Moix next Sunday, September 27th, against sixth-placed Almería. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and the usual lineup in the squad section. The team approaches this phase of the championship with the long-term absence of Abdón Prats.
Manager Luis García confirmed that striker Adrián Fuentes suffered a muscular discomfort in Saturday's match and will be assessed in the coming days. The club reported his availability against Almeria is in doubt. Fuentes, the team's top scorer, now has four league goals, according to verified data as of September 20.
Manager Luis García confirmed that striker Adrián Fuentes suffered a muscular discomfort in Saturday's match and will be evaluated in the coming days. The club reported that his participation against Almería is in doubt. Fuentes, the team's top scorer, now has four league goals, according to verified data as of September 20.
