Mallorca 1 - Real Sociedad 1

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Nadal (Siviero 60'), Miguel Soler; Finidi, Engonga, Marcos, Ibagaza (Novo 72'); Eto'o, Luque (Carlos 60'). 4-4-2.
Real Sociedad: Alberto; Fuentes, Loren, Luiz Alberto (Gurrutxaga 70'), López Rekarte (Aranzábal 28'); Xavi Alonso, Tayfun; Khokhlov, Idiakez, De Pedro; Jankauskas (De Paula 75'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: No change / Real: Tayfun, Jankauskas for Pikabea, De Paula.

Goals:
1-0. 39. Eto'o. Brought ball down and rounded keeper after long pass from Marcos.
1-1. 68. Loren. Shot low through crowd of players after corner not fully cleared.

Having taken seven points from the big three, Mallorca slipped up where they least expected, dropping two points at home against relegation candidates Real Sociedad. With a full strength line up they dominated the first half, and should have finished off their opponents by the interval if they could have taken their opportunities. Finidi tested Alberto with a quarter of an hour gone, and Eto'o gave the home side the lead with a well taken goal, bringing down a long pass from Marcos with a single touch and shrugging off a challenge from the keeper before slotting into an empty net. Luque should have added to the lead on two occasions later in the half, heading into Alberto's hands and then messing up an easy chance after Eto'o set him up.

Having been let off the hook John Toshack's side got a grip in the second half. Playing in front of their newly elected president José Luis Astiazaran they were keen to make an impression, and with Khokhlov directing the orchestra they came back in to the game, with Jankauskas failing to capitalize on a couple of chances just after half time. Halfway through the second half they got the goal they were looking for though, with Loren picking up a loose ball in the penalty area and turning to shoot through Soler's legs into the net. Luis made his usual substitutions, and Eto'o thought he had won the game when he cheekily kicked the ball out of Alberto's grasp and in to the net as he was making a clearance. However referee Esquinas Torras ruled it out, patiently explaining to the upset striker that it was different from the goal that Tamudo scored in the Spanish cup final as Atlético's Toni was bouncing the ball then, whereas Alberto was actually in the process of kicking the ball.

The draw means that Mallorca lose ground in their push for a Champions League place, falling three points behind fourth placed Barcelona, although they gain another point on sixth placed Villarreal. Real Sociedad actually drop back to bottom of the league after Osasuna and Racing both won, although only one point now separates the bottom four clubs.