Albacete 2 - Mallorca 0

Albacete: Roa; Oscar Montiel, Pablo, Unai, Peña; Lawal, Parri, Viaud, Delporte (Pablo García 75'); Pacheco (Simeón 65'), Amato (Mikel 58'). 4-4-2.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; David Cortés, Lussenhoff, Fernando Niño, Poli (Jesús Perera 72'); Campano, Colsa, Marcos, Toni González (Nené 56'); Eto'o, Bruggink (Correa 65'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Albacete: Peña, Lawal, Parri, Delporte for Cristián Díaz, Munteanu, David Sánchez, Iván Díaz / Mallorca: Leo Franco for Miki.

Goals:
1-0. 17. Parri. Bent free kick around wall from outside of area.
2-0. 80. Mikel. Headed home on far post from Peña's cross from left wing.

Albacete's season finally got off to a start, and they recorded their first points with a 2-0 win over Mallorca. The Manchegans started the day in last place without a point to their name, but they took the lead with a much protested free kick which ex Valencia midfielder Parri bent past Leo Franco. The visitors fought back immediately and Roa had to save at the feet of Lussenhoff a minute later. Unai stopped Bruggink in his tracks as he was about to score, and just before half time Eto'o and Bruggink could both have equalised in a double opportunity, the former seeing his deflected shot hit the post and the latter being thwarted by the excellent Roa at point blank range on the follow up.

The locals had their chances too though, especially from Parri, who shot just wide before the break and tested Leo Franco with more free kicks after the restart. At the other end Roa was called upon once again to save from a Fernando Niño header following a corner. But ten minutes from the end Albacete put the game beyond their opponents' reach, substitute Mikel getting to Peña's cross before his marker to head in on the far post. Having just returned from a gruelling UEFA cup tie in Cyprus, the tired Mallorca players were beaten.

Worse was to come for boss Jaime Pacheco though later in the week, as the new management of the club (who had joined after Pacheco had been appointed) decided that they were not happy with the way the team had been playing and threw the manager out on the street after only five league games in charge. A new man is expected to be named in the next few days.