Mallorca defeated Sporting de Gijón, from the Smartbank League, 1-0, with a goal from Dani Rodríguez in the first part of the friendly match played at the Ciudad Deportiva Antonio Asensio, where Mexican Javier Aguirre’s team trains, because the Son Moix stadium is under construction.
The vermilions remain undefeated after four games in which they have not conceded a goal. The two teams went from less to more as the minutes passed. Aguirre’s team got off to a better start, although “Pitu” Abelardo’s team did not go through major difficulties until Dani Rodríguez emerged to open the scoring.
It was the fifth Majorcan goal of the preseason after those scored against the Polish Wieczysta Krakow (3) and the Italian Genoa (1), and the first that the Asturians conceded after their victories against Racing de Santander (1-0) and the Cartagena (3-0). Mallorca kept control of the actions and hardly went through trouble, with the exception of the opportunity that Cristo had (min. 21) when he finished off the body of goalkeeper Leo Román after an error by central defender José Copete, one of the signings to face the second consecutive season in LaLiga.
The two technicians made numerous changes in the second half. The entrance to the field of Vedat Muriqi (min. 62), an idol of the Vermilion fans, was received with a standing ovation from the Kosovar striker. Ángel Rodríguez was able to increase the score (min. 53), but he did not hit the shot when he had everything in his favor.
Muriqi searched hard for the second goal, always cheered on by the vermilion fans, but always found the right response from the visiting defense. The 1-0 was definitive to seal the Majorcan victory before facing, on Sunday, against Naples in Castel di Sangro the fifth friendly match of the preseason, prior to the visit to UD Ibiza on August 7 at Can Misses.
Datasheet:
1 – Mallorca: Leo Roman; Maffeo, Raillo, Valjent, Copete, Jaume Costa; Baba, Grenier, Dani Rodriguez; Lake Junior and Abdon Prats. Also starring: Angel, Kang in Lee. Muriqi, Brian Cufre, Gio Gonzalez, Antonio Sanchez.
0 – Sporting de Gijon: Marino; Roses, Somolinos, Grageras, Argüelles, Rivera, Nacho Méndez, Coto, Queipo, Campuzano, Christ. Also played: Cuéllar (goalkeeper), Valentín, Pola, Otero, Djuka, Zarfino, García
Goal: 1-0, min. 10: Dani Rodriguez.
Referee: Luis Bestard. He admonished Kang in Lee, from Mallorca; to Otero, from Sporting
Incidents: Friendly match played at the Ciudad Deportiva Antonio Asensio del Mallorca before some 1,000 spectators, the maximum capacity of the field.
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