There is no better or more effective Spanish striker than Raul de Tomas third in the scoring table behind Benzema and Vinicius. More than enough merit, complementary to his indisputable quality, which is not quantitatively measurable, to be called up for the national team. Nor was there a clearer opportunity to vindicate his call and to justify it than scoring a goal. And, indeed, De Tomás scored and signed the reassuring and liberating triumph of the Espanyol over Mallorca.
Reassuring because it frees him from future anguish for salvation, which is virtually sealed, and liberating because it occurred against a rival he had not beaten in the two previous games (the first leg and the Cup, both in Palma) and with the one that has cultivated a recent and tense rivalry. The soothing blue and white was, at the same time, a dose of concern added to a sick Mallorca, which added his sixth consecutive defeat. The crisis has led him to the brink of the abyss.
De Tomás scored in one of the only two decent shots he had shortly before the break, thanks to an exceptional pass from Sergio Darder, deserving, like his partner, of the memory of Luis Enrique. Darder put the striker on the highway to success with a magnificent vertical pass, although it had to be capped off with a left-footed shot over Sergio Rico’s exit. De Tomás shot with finesse adjusted to the post.
The dull first half, abrupt due to the constant interruptions, gave way to a more dynamic second period. Thanks to Thomas. Once the score was broken, one of the two teams had to decisively assume control, which always activates the rhythm of the game when it is non-existent. As was the case.
Diego López had to be substituted again and Moreno chose Oier instead of Joan Garcia.
From penalty to yellow
Mallorca wanted to take the initiative and dominated the game, but lacked ideas. He never gave the feeling of being able to turn the score around, discouraged by his losing streak and by the blow that was a key move in the future of the duel. And extremely complex that began with a foul by Costa on Embarba and ended with Cabrera knocking down Ángel on the edge of the area. What could have been a penalty, as the Vermilion requested and the Blue and Whites feared, culminated, five minutes later, in a yellow card for Costa.
For the second time in a row, Moreno had to replace Diego López, who complained of muscular discomfort. Unlike what he did in Valencia against Levante, he chose Oier over Joan Garcia. The memory of the Barcelona goalkeeper’s error in the equalizing goal weighed on the coach, who opted for the veteran Oier (32 years old), who was playing his first game of the season. He didn’t look like it. The save to a header from Muriqi, the only vermilion player with poison, gave confidence to the whole team.
Data sheet
Spanish: Diego López (6), Gil (6), Calero (6), Cabrera (6), Pedrosa (5); Keidi Bare (6); Embarba (6), Herrera (5), Darder (8), Vilhena (6); From Thomas (7).
Coach: Vicente Moreno (6).
Changes: Oier (7) by Diego López (m. 46); Aleix (5) by Vilhena (d. 54); Morlanes (6) by Bare (m. 54); Melamed (5) by Embarba (d. 71); Loren (sc) by De Tomas (d. 85).
Majorca: Rich (5); González (5), Valjent (6), Raíllo (6), Costa (6); Dani (4), Baba (6), Sanchez (5), Kang-In Lee (4); Angel (5), Muriqi (6).
Coach: Luis Garcia Plaza (6).
Changes: Abdon (6) for Ángel (m. 46); Seville (6) by Sánchez (m, 60); Kubo (6) by Kang-In Lee (d. 60); Llabrés (sc) by Baba (d. 81); Child (sc) by González (d. 89).
Goals: 1-0 (m. 41) De Tomás escapes deep and crosses over Rico’s exit.
Referee: Muñiz Ruiz (6), Galician.
Cards: Costa (m. 9), Bare (m. 22), Muriqi (m. 37), Raíllo (m. 62).
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Stadium: RCDE Stadium.
Spectators: 17,578.