La Liga Round-Up: Mallorca Maintain Perfect Home Record With Slender Win Over Racing Santander

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Haris Medunjanin, Valladolid (Getty Images)

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Teams

• Almeria
• Espanyol
• Mallorca
• Racing
• Valladolid
• Zaragoza

SATURDAY

Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe: See full match report

Xerez 0-2 Sevilla: See full match report

Osasuna 1-1 Barcelona: See full match report

Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Atletico Madrid: See full match report

SUNDAY

Villarreal 5-0 Tenerife

See full match report

Espanyol 1-1 Real Valladolid

Morale is high at the Valladolid camp after their thumping win over Deportivo La Coruna last week and they were quickly off to the races at the Cornella-El Prat when Diego Costa’s long range effort after just 13 minutes flew marginally wide.

Jose Callejon responded for Espanyol just moments later with an equally ambitious attempt from angle but he flashed his shot just inches over the bar. Both sides continued to trade punches, with the Catalans looking the likelier of the two to score but neither found the breakthrough before the half-time whistle.

But the Blanc-i-Blau put their frustrations behind them and just five minutes into the restart, they got their reward. Fernando Marques dinked a through ball over the Valladolid backline for Luis Garcia to chest down before slotting it between Justo Villar’s legs.

Valladolid responded straight away as Alberto Bueno and Fabian Canobbio were presented with excellent chances right infront of goal but both failed to apply the finish. The visitors continued to press forward with no luck, but right at the death, Haris Medunjanin unleashed a fierce drive on the edge of the box that left Carlos Kameni with no chance as the Pucelanos salvaged a late point.

Real Mallorca 1-0 Racing Santander

The Balearic Islanders wasted little time in coming out to defend their 100 percent record at home. After just five minutes, Victor had a glorious chance to put his side infront but blazed his shot over from six yards out.

But Gregorio Manzano’s side would not be denied on 18 minutes when Pierre Webo latched onto Borja Valero’s clever flick into the centre and coolly rifled in a half volley past Tono at the near post. Henrique should have equalised for Racing in the 35th minute but he saw his point-blank header miraculously kept out by Dudu Aouate.

Webo and Victor then came close on the hour mark to wrap up the game for the hosts, with the latter having the best of the two chances when he sent his back-post header from close range agonisingly wide. Mattioni had an even better opening 13 minutes from time but his one-on-one effort was smothered by Tono, eventhough Victor was waiting in the middle unmarked with the goal at his mercy.  

The Cantabrians had come from behind to snatch a draw with late goals in their last two league games and it looked as though they could pull it off for a third consecutive time, but Alexander Geijo’s header from close range was saved by Aouate. Racing continued to pile on the pressure until the final whistle but there was no late show this time around.

Real Zaragoza 2-1 Almeria

The Aragons are still trying to shake off the horror pummelling they received at the hands of Barcelona last weekend, and after just five minutes into the contest against Almeria, they came under heavy fire again as Kalu Uche and Pablo Piatti both laid siege to their goal. 

It took a while for Zaragoza to weather the storm and their tenacity and discipline paid off when Lafita put his side infront right on the half-hour mark when he pounced on a goal-mouth scramble. And before Almeria could even recover, Pulido made it 2-0 when he smashed the ball home after Roberto Ayala had nodded down a corner for him.

Five minutes before the break, however, Hugo Sanchez’s side pulled one back through Juanma Ortiz when his seemingly harmless low drive squeezed under Lopez Vallejo’s body and rolled into the back of the net. But it failed to spark a fightback as the home side comfortably controlled the second half and looked more dangerous infront of goal. There was to be no late flurry like the first period as Zaragoza held on for the win.

Malaga - Valencia: Kick off 19:00 CET

Deportivo La Coruna - Sporting Gijon: Kick off 21:00 CET

Click here for full standings…

KS Leong, Goal.com