Celta 2 - Mallorca 2

Celta: Pinto; Coira (Vagner 60'), Cáceres, Djorovic, Velasco; Giovanella, Doriva; Karpin, Edu, Gustavo López (Yago 87'); Catanha. 4-2-3-1.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; Armando, Olaizola, Nadal, Miguel Soler; Marcos, Engonga; Finidi, Ibagaza, Stankovic (Eto'o 63'); Luque. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Celta: Coira, Edu for Juanfran, Jesuli / Mallorca: Armando, Miguel Soler, Finidi, Marcos for Fernando Niño, Carreras, Novo, Eto'o.

Goals:
1-0. 13. Catanha. Took pass from Karpin and chipped keeper.
1-1. 23. Ibagaza. Shot from close up after pass from Engonga.
2-1. 77. Djorovic. Spectacular shot from left which went into far corner of net.
2-2. 89. Olaizola. Headed past Pinto after Nadal headed back cross from right.

Referee Turienzo Alvarez controversially disallowed three goals from Mallorca in this match which could have given the Island team a first victory in Vigo in four years. Although Luque may have been a few inches offside when Stankovic passed to him for the first of these, the second from Finidi and the third, a header by Armando, appeared to be perfectly valid, and manager Luis Aragonés was very critical of the official after the match. Mallorca were in control for much of the game against a Celta side decimated by injuries, and did enough to merit taking the three points. However they found themselves behind twice, and in the end it took a last minute header by Olaizola, his first ever in the first division, to salvage a point.

Celta came in to the tie without a win in five games, and with a long injury list which Mostovoi, McCarthy and Juanfran joined this week, Víctor Fernández put out the best side he could, with the much in demand Velasco switching to left back. Aragonés was missing the suspended Fernando Niño, and although Siviero was back in the squad after a long injury, the manager decided to play it safe and include Armando in the starting line up instead. Finidi came back into the team, and with the three non-EU places filled, Eto'o started on the bench. Celta started well, and Catanha tested Leo Franco with a chip early on before getting it right a second time to open the scoring. But then Mallorca took over, and after Ibagaza levelled the scores with his fourth of the season, Turienzo ruled out the goals of Luque and Finidi. Shortly before half time Gustavo López finally got in a cross from the left which Catanha got a head to, and Pinto turned the ball on to the post and away.

Eto'o came on around the hour mark for Stankovic and immediately brought a good save out of Pinto, but Celta were gradually getting back in the game and Djorovic put them back in the lead with a dazzling shot which left Leo Franco with little chance. Armando got the ball in the net at the other end almost immediately, but Turienzo ruled that he had fouled the keeper and awarded a free kick. The full back was fuming, and a minute later tackled hard and bounced the ball down as the referee approached. That was not a good thing to do, especially as he had already received a yellow card earlier on, and Turienzo produced a second yellow (one of eleven on the night) and sent him off. Still Mallorca didn't give up, and they got their reward when Olaizola headed into the roof of the net, the referee for once finding nothing to complain about. The result leaves Mallorca out of the UEFA spots in seventh place, with Celta now down at eleventh. They are scouring the market for new signings, with defender Berizzo already tied up and on his way. With the injuries they have at the moment, one or two more could join before the transfer window closes at the end of January.