RCD Mallorca-Sevilla: Rojiblancos Strengthen Champions League Hopes

In La Liga's game of the weekend at the ONO Estadí between RCD Mallorca and Sevilla, the away side emerged 3-1 victors to strengthen their hold on fourth place.

It was a hotly disputed clash in the island of Mallorca, as home side RCD Mallorca ended the game with ten men and away team Sevilla with only nine men!

The hosts took the lead in just the fifth minute when Mario Suarez etched his name on the scoresheet after good work from star player Borja Valero to keep the ball in play and put it back across the box.

However, such joy was somewhat short lived, as Sevilla hit back in the 23rd minute through a strike from the highly rated talent, Jesus Navas, a player who is in the reckoning to make the Spain squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Moments later, the referee made his first mistake in a match littered throughout by officiating errors.

Alvaro Negredo, signed from Real Madrid in the summer (despite reported interest from Real Zaragoza and Hull City), received a red card for a simple tackle on Pep Marti. At best, the challenge was a yellow card.

Sevilla's numerical disadvantage lasted only until the stroke of half-time though, as Mallorca's Ivan Ramis was ludicrously dismissed for a similar challenge.

Following the interval, the away side took control of the encounter and gained the lead for the first time in the match on 57 minutes.

Serbian defender Ivica Dragutinovic beautifully curled a free-kick into the top corner past a helpless Dudo Aouate in the Mallorca goal to give Sevilla a 2-1 advantage.

Substitute Diego Perotti then proved his worth as a top Argentine talent when he finished from close range after good work on the right wing from Luis Fabiano and Jesus Navas, making the score 3-1 to Sevilla.

In the final minute of the match, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Didier Zokora had a moment of madness when he was handed his second yellow card of the night, meaning Sevilla had to end the game with only nine men.

But it meant little as they secured all three points, leaving them four points clear in fourth place in La Liga table.

Mallorca, who were largely expected to struggle in the relegation zone this season with their debt of over 45million euros now are in sixth place.

UEFA Champions League football may be out of reach for them, but for a side that have brilliantly over-achieved so far in this 2009/10 season, the prospect of UEFA Europa League action is becoming more and more of a reality.

It may not have the allure of the Champions League, but any European football will be good for RCD Mallorca and their current financial predicament, as well as being nothing but beneficial for their prestige as a football club.