In a dramatic turn of events, Real Sociedad fell short in the Copa del Rey semi-final against RCD Mallorca following a 1-1 draw in extra time, eventually losing 4-5 in the subsequent penalty shootout due to a mistake by Mikel Oyarzabal.
On a tense Wednesday night, RCD Mallorca managed to secure their place in the final of the Copa del Rey. The match against Real Sociedad came to a thrilling conclusion with a 1-1 stalemate after regulation time and extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Mikel Oyarzabal’s error proved costly for the ‘txuri-urdin’ team as Sergi Darder confidently scored the decisive penalty, leading the Mallorcan team to victory.
The match took place at the Reale Arena, where the first half an hour saw a tentative standoff between the two teams. The first real attempt on goal was by Arsen Zakharyan, following a strong run by Javi Galán, but was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, Dominik Greif. Despite this early attempt, the ‘txuri-urdin’ team struggled to maintain momentum, while Mallorca continued to pose a threat in the attacking third.
Mallorca came close to taking the lead when Cyle Larin headed the ball towards Dani Rodríguez, who then passed it to Abdón Prats whose shot went wide. However, right before half-time, Real Sociedad managed to win a penalty after Antonio Raíllo fouled in the penalty area. Despite Brais Méndez’s attempt, goalkeeper Greif managed to block the shot, keeping the score level.
The second half saw a substitution for Real Sociedad with Sheraldo Becker replacing André Silva, but it was Mallorca who came out stronger. A well-executed play saw Larin pass to Jaume Costa, who crossed the ball into the penalty area where Gio González scored with a powerful header. Real Sociedad responded with substitutions of their own, including bringing on Mikel Oyarzabal, who had been struggling with injuries.
As the match entered its final stages, both teams pushed for the victory. Larin nearly doubled Mallorca’s lead in the 64th minute, but his shot was off target. Real Sociedad equalized in the 71st minute with a goal from Oyarzabal, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
With the score level, both teams battled for the winning goal. Real Sociedad applied pressure, but Mallorca defended resolutely, forcing the match into extra time. Despite several attempts by Real Sociedad, Mallorca’s defense held firm, leading to a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
The penalty shootout started off poorly for Real Sociedad with Oyarzabal missing his shot. From then on, every player scored their penalties until Sergi Darder stepped up for Mallorca. His successful penalty secured Mallorca’s place in the final of the Copa del Rey, marking a significant achievement for the team.
The match was a hard-fought battle between two determined teams. Despite the disappointment for Real Sociedad, both teams showed their quality and determination, leading to an enthralling match for the spectators. This match will surely be remembered for the dramatic penalty shootout and the stellar performances from both teams.
Below is the detailed summary of the match:
–RESULT: REAL SOCIEDAD, 1 – MALLORCA, 1 (0-0, at half-time).
–ALIGNMENTS.
REAL SOCIEDAD: Remiro; Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Galán (Tierney, min.91); Brais (Turrientes, min.79), Zubimendi, Merino (Olasagasti, min.104), Zakharyan (Oyarzabal, min.63); Kubo (Sadiq, min.104) and André Silva (Becker, min.46).
MALLORCA: Greif; Gio González, Valjent, Raíllo, Copete, Jaume Costa (Lato, min.98); Samu Costa (Mascarell, min.106), Antonio Sánchez (Morlanes, min.72), Dani Rodríguez (Darder, min.99); Larin (Radonjic, min.106) and Abdón (Muriqi, min.62).
–GOALS:
0-1, min.50: Gio González.
1-1, min. 71: Oyarzabal.
–PENALTY SHOOTOUT:
0-0: Oyarzabal, miss.
0-1: Muriqi, goal.
1-1: Turrientes, goal.
1-2: Morlanes, goal.
2-2: Olasagasti, goal.
2-3: Mask, goal.
3-3: Zubimendi, goal.
3-4: Radonjic, goal.
4-4: Becker, goal.
4-5: Darder, goal.
–REFEREE: Gil Manzano (C.Extremeño). He showed yellow cards to Le Normand (min.113) of Real Sociedad, and Copete (min.21), Jaume Costa (min.88) and Muriqi (min.109) of Mallorca.
–STADIUM: Reale Arena.
