In a tense 90 minutes at Son Moix, Mallorca and Celta Vigo settled for a 1-1 draw, a result that keeps both teams perilously close to the relegation zone and underscores the struggle of the early second half of the season for both squads.
Iago Aspas opened the scoring for the Celestial team in the first half, while Canadian attacker Cyle Larin almost spoiled the visitors’ party just before the break with a late effort that forced a save and signaled a competitive restart.
The match statistics tell a clear story about the approaches of the two teams. Mallorca, hampered by a string of late draws this campaign, extended their tally with their tenth stalemate, while Celta recorded eight draws as part of a season defined by tight margins and inconsistent finishing for both sides.
At 36 years of age, Aspas marked his 150th goal in Spain’s top flight with a precise strike in the ninth minute, lifting his side and casting a momentary hush over the Son Moix stands as the opening rites of a post-match celebration began to take shape.
The mood quickly shifted from festive anticipation to caution as the late first-half period began, with Mallorca wary of a potential late stumble while Celta’s supporters urged their team to consolidate the advantage and extend the lead before the whistle.
Celta emerged after the break with renewed energy, pressing higher and taking the initiative as Mallorca searched for a way to regain control of the tempo and momentum. It took a challenging effort from the Mallorca defense and the persistence of their forward line to reset the balance in the middle of the field and threaten again on the counterattack.
Aspas fulfilled a sweeping move with a left-footed finish that came off the boot of Larson to seal a difficult run of play, although the ball found the back of the net in a contested fashion. The moment highlighted the visitors’ best period of the match, even though their advantage did not endure for long and the game remained in the balance.
Mexico’s Javier Aguirre guided his side to respond with vigor, and the constant presence of Larin in attacking zones proved pivotal. The Canadian forward, who had come on to replace the injured Vedat Muriqi, forced the issue repeatedly and found pockets of space that troubled the Celeste defense and kept the affair open into the latter stages.
Larin carried the danger into the final third and exploited the gaps in the Celta backline. He tested the goalkeeper Jailson with a slick exchange of passes and quick movements, and his persistence paid off when a clever run led to a decisive breakthrough that brought the teams level at 1-1.
Mallorca, though buoyed by the equalizer, pressed to convert the momentum into a late winner after the restart. Sergi Darder and his teammates continued to chase a second goal, with Broad and Darder both supporting efforts to penetrate the visitors’ rearguard and recreate the decisive edge needed to tilt the score in their favor.
The North American influence on the game was notable as Larin engaged in every major attacking sequence, earning touches and shots that tested the Celeste defense and kept the atmosphere tense in the closing minutes. The visitors responded with adjustments from the bench as Douvikas, Luca Dela Torre, and Miguel Rodríguez provided fresh legs in a bid to stabilize the defensive plan and push for a late win.
As the match wore on, Celta’s defense held firm for long stretches, with their players refusing to back down and maintaining a disciplined shape that frustrated Mallorca’s late attempts. The game entered its final phase with both sides chasing a decisive moment, and the prospect of a winner loomed large for a stadium that remained loud and hopeful until the final whistle.
In the dying moments, Peruvian Renato Tapia of Celta almost claimed the winning goal with a direct free kick that clipped the left post, briefly sending his teammates and the visiting fans into renewed celebration before the ball stayed out and the whistle confirmed the draw. The late scare added a sting to an otherwise balanced result and left both teams with important reflections as they return to league play next week.
One positive takeaway for Mallorca is that Celta go into the next round with a better position in the head-to-head or head-to-statistics categories, thanks in part to the first-leg 0-1 advantage from Muriqi’s goal. The new atmosphere at Son Moix will be remembered for its revival of a lively home crowd and a performance that, despite not finishing in a win, demonstrated determination and resiliency against a defensively stubborn opponent.
The closing moments offered the kind of drama that makes fans hopeful about a better stretch of form, but the result underscored the reality of a season-long struggle for both teams. The post-match assessment must acknowledge the value of the point earned, the resilience shown by the players, and the opportunity to refine their tactical approach as they head into the next cycle of fixtures.
In sum, the 1-1 draw at Son Moix reflected a contest defined by moments of individual quality, stubborn defense, and strategic adjustments that kept both Mallorca and Celta Vigo on a knife edge in their fight to escape the relegation zone. The match delivered entertainment, contested play, and a reminder that in this league, every point matters and momentum can hinge on a single sequence at the end of a hard-fought ninety minutes. A fresh phase awaits each team as they regroup and prepare to chase the next set of results in pursuit of safety and ambition, all while the season continues to unfold across Spain and beyond as part of a broader conversation about form, resilience, and the road to stability in a competitive league.