RCD Mallorca snatch point from Sevilla as European race remains unpredictable

Sevilla 1-1 RCD Mallorca

Sevilla will be rueing another frustrating evening where their lack of a clinical edge cost them points, after conceding a late equaliser to RCD Mallorca. The Islanders took some time to get going, but will feel they earned their point away from home.

It was a game defined initially by the Sevilla fans. The game opened with a section of the singing section absent for the opening twelve minutes, in protest at the game being held on a Monday night. On separate occasions, they would then show banners reading ‘show Israel the red card’, and ‘the salary limit reflects your ability to manage. Out of Sevilla’, in the latter case referring to the current leadership’s financial management.

Los Nervionenses did have the better of the first half, with Dodi Lukebakio and Ruben Vargas the usual suspects at the heart of their threat. However they struggled to test Dominik Greif in the opening period. On the stroke of half-time, they did get reward for their efforts though, with Kike Salas firing a loose, bouncing ball into the net for the lead.

The second half saw Sevilla start the better too, with Lukebakio firing narrowly over, and then narrowly past the post in the opening 15 minutes of the second period. They failed to capitalise on their superiority though, and the introductions of first Robert Navarro and then Cyle Larin changing the game.

The former got on the end of brilliant Vedat Muriqi ball in behind, but lifted his effort over Orjan Nyland and onto the roof of the net. Coming onto a ball in the box, he then scuffed his effort wide past the post moments later. Larin connected with a cross at the far post, but that was cut off by a last-ditch block, and then could not make the right contact with a ball flashed across the box from close range.