Mallorca 4 - Real Murcia 1

Mallorca: Leo Franco; David Cortés, Nadal, Lussenhoff, Toni González (Olaizola 50'); Nagore, Colsa; Campano (Bruggink 58'), Correa, Nené (Stankovic 52'); Eto'o. 4-2-3-1.
Real Murcia: Juanmi; Juanma, Cuadrado, Pedro Largo, Carreras; Luis García, Acciari, Jensen (Roberto Fresnedoso 55'), Fredi; Richi (Esnaider 55'), David Karanka (Julio Alvarez 80'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Mallorca: Lussenhoff, Toni González, Nené for Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Stankovic / Murcia: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 06. Colsa. Got on end of cross from left to steer shot into net.
1-1. 30. David Karanka. Turned ball wide of keeper from long cross from left.
2-1. 39. Correa. Ran on to long high pass from Nagore to score past Juanmi.
3-1. 45. Correa. Connected with Campano square free kick to shoot low into net.
4-1. 68. Eto'o. Picked up lifted Bruggink pass and bundled ball past keeper.

Mallorca climbed out of the relegation spots with a 4-1 win over Real Murcia, an impressive victory which confirms that Luis Aragonés is already starting to make a difference. Both sides started the day in the bottom three, and the league's two most veteran managers lined up with their best available sides, Aragonés basing his team on the one which beat Copenhagen in the UEFA cup midweek and Peiró putting out the same starting eleven which drew with Deportivo the week before. But it was the local manager who drew first blood, Colsa sticking out a foot to deflect a cross (or was it an off target shot?) from Nené past the surprised Juanmi.

Murcia levelled the scores though on the half hour mark when David Karanka got ahead of his marker to meet Fredi's long cross and turn the ball wide of Leo Franco, and it was back to square one. For a few minutes the visitors took the initiative, but their joy only lasted ten minutes or so before Correa ran on to a long ball over the top of the defence to out-stride the defence and score. And five minutes later the Uruguayan forward got another goal after Campano laid a free kick across the edge of the area.

Aragonés refreshed his side early in the second half, making all three changes before the hour mark to give a rest to legs tired from the midweek game. Peiró brought on all his remaining fire power, turning in the end to the out of sorts Esnaider as a last resort. But Mallorca scored again when Bruggink found Eto'o midway through the half, and Correa could have had his hat-trick later on if his effort had not hit the post. Murcia ended the weekend in next to bottom spot, and Peiró must be hoping that his star player Michel recovers as soon as possible to help his side get back on the survival track.