Mallorca 2 - Albacete 1

Mallorca: Moya; David Cortés (Jorge López 46'), Iuliano, Ballesteros, Poli; Campano, De los Santos, Tuni; Arango; Okubo (Correa 67'), Luis García (Pereyra 86'). 4-3-1-2.
Albacete: Valbuena; Oscar Montiel, Buades, Rubén, Peña; Alvaro Rubio, Jaime; Redondo (Peralta 78'), Pacheco, Mark González (Momo 61'); Francisco (Mikel 67'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Mallorca: David Cortés for Ramís / Albacete: Valbuena, Jaime, Redondo, Mark González for Gaspercic, David Sánchez, Peralta, Momo.

Goals:
0-1. 27. Mark González. Got on the end of Redondo cross to fire ball in from left.
1-1. 52. Tuni. Shot from inside area which took a deflection off Buades.
2-1. 72. Luis García (penalty). After Oscar Montiel tripped Tuni in area.

Mallorca moved a step closer to safety with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Albacete. The Balearic islanders needed to win against a team who are just above them in the table, and the first chance fell to Campano, who brought a good save out of Valbuena, returning to the visitors' goal after a long lay-off for a broken wrist. Jaime and Pacheco both tested Moyà at the other end though before Mark González got on the end of Redondo's cross to put the away side in front.

Mallorca thought they should have had a penalty when Rubén appeared to clear the ball with his arm, but a few minutes later they were level, the excellent Tuni controlling a loose ball and firing in a shot which took a deflection off Buades. Héctor Cúper had brought on Jorge López at the break to strengthen his attack, and midway through the second half her made his second substitution, Correa coming on for Okubo to make his first appearance since serving out a nine month ban for testing positive for cocaine.

Five minutes later his side were awarded a hotly disputed penalty when Turienzo Alvarez ruled that Oscar Montiel had fouled Tuni, and Luis García stepped up to slot home the spot kick. The decision clearly upset Albacete manager José González, who was shown a red card by the referee for his continued protests. But his team could still have saved a point when Peralta's free kick took a deflection and was just kept out by Moyà. In the end though three vital points for the hosts, who jump ahead of Racing on goal difference and move within two points of their opponents.