Laquesa Mallorca uses a late header to claim a dramatic win over Rayo, as the relegation battle intensifies
He majorca makes a late decision at the table of the league, pushing the pace and risking trouble for the visitors. The moment arrived after the first league win, a 2-1 result, and the celebration spanned the final days of the round. Vedat Muriqi found the decisive moment in the 91st minute, sealing the victory in front of his home crowd.
With a six-point cushion over Cadiz in the race for goals, the team could approach the return leg with a calmer mindset, aiming to reach the Copa del Rey final, which will unfold at Real Arena on February 27, after a goalless first leg.
For his part, Francisco Rodríguez, the coach of Rayo, warned that the slide must stop after a fresh setback in recent days. The team continues to hold a seven-point gap from the drop zone, yet momentum appears to be draining away.
An urgent clash emerged as both sides sought vital points. The intensity began from the opening whistle when Nastasic earned the first yellow card for a push near the field entrance, signaling the high-stakes mood of the match.
Rayo pressed for a penalty, but the referee, Munuera Montero, did not award one. Moments later, Lejeune’s challenge on Muriqi also failed to produce a foul call.
Football quality was constrained in the first half, marked by physical wear and eroded stamina on both sides.
What followed was a shift toward higher pressure, cautious defense, and a sharp eye for exploiting opponents’ errors.
Mallorca players faced Vedat Muriqi, who was not fully recovered from an injury that had kept him out for two months, yet remained the focal point for Aguirre’s plans in the absence of suspended Cyle Larin and Abdon Prats, who had fitness issues in attack.
In defense, Vasco Adolfo Vasco kept faith with Matija Nastasic in a five-man line after the injury to Martin Valjent, trying to stabilise the rear.
Rayo encountered a visit to Palma that had not treated them kindly—seven defeats and two draws in prior trips—with attack partners Sergio Camello and Kike Pérez looking for openings.
Pathe Ciss was held by Francisco in midfield, while Raúl de Tomás and Radamel Falcao started the match on the bench as the situation demanded more fresh legs in the second period.
The clearest scoring chance arose when Isi Palazón, late in the first half, collected a rebound in the Vermilion box but failed to finish cleanly.
At halftime Mallorca trailed with yellow cards shown to Nastasic, Dani Rodríguez, and Muriqi, and a controversial red to the club doctor that drew strong protest from Majorcan supporters.
Aguirre brought Abdón Prats on to sharpen the attack after the break.
Vasco adjusted the system, taking the decision to line up without a traditional fullback in a 4-4-2 to better press and absorb, a move that immediately paid off when Antonio Sánchez found space to score from Óscar Valentín’s miscue in the box.
The goal steadied the home side and encouraged Mallorca to seek the equaliser, even with Trejo and Raúl de Tomás on the field and the risk of exposing gaps at the back.
💀 The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Muriqi’s late header put Mallorca ahead at the horn. @RCD_Mallorca celebrated on social media with a vivid post as the match concluded.
— Football on Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) February 11, 2024
In a dramatic turn, a defensive error levelled the score when Uruguayan Gio González intercepted a ball from Rajkovic, enabling Álvaro García to equalise, a moment that came during one of the team’s tougher spells.
Mallorca still added reinforcements in the winter window with Nemanja Radonjic, on loan from Torino, though the defense held firm until the late drama, when Muriqi’s header sealed the win in stoppage time.