Arriving into the match just three points above the drop zone following a 1-0 defeat to Almería back in November, Getafe began brightly, led by Carles Aleñá in the face of a defensively astute Real Mallorca outfit. Marshaling the midfield, the 24-year-old first saw an edge-of-the-box drive inadvertently blocked by a defender, before a similar effort zipped narrowly wide of the left post.
The visitors, at their best standing at this stage of the league campaign since 2010/11, couldn’t have done any better to hold off the hosts, as they valiantly stood their ground in a bid to avoid conceding the opener. Surprisingly, Mallorca thought they had done enough to warrant drawing first blood at the other end. A moment of drama unfolded as the break approached, when referee Javier Alberola Rojas overturned a penalty call after a VAR review following Damian Suarez’s apparent handball in the area.
Things turned out in stark contrast for Javier Aguirre’s men once the game resumed, as a brilliant bit of team play transpired into Azulones striker Borja Mayoral drilling a low shot past Predrag Rajković to give the home side the lead. Having not won a top-flight home game after conceding first since 2019, scoring first was evidently a good omen for the hosts. Quique Sánchez Flores’ side managed to hold onto the intensity and eventually grabbed a second in the 78th minute by virtue of Mayoral’s brace. Taking full advantage of a defensive mishap, the Real Madrid youth product tamed a one-on-one situation to overcome the keeper with an accurate shot.
Mallorca failed to make it five undefeated La Liga games in a row, and they also failed to register three consecutive away league wins for the first time since 2008. Whereas the edgy win hands Getafe just a second victory at home this campaign, with only Cadiz, Espanyol, Sevilla and Elche managing fewer home league wins.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Borja Mayoral (Getafe CF)
