Mallorca Outsmarts Real Sociedad 5-4 in a penalty shootout to reach Copa del Ray Final
Mallorca’s long-awaited return to the Copa del Rey final was marked by a gripping showdown against Real Sociedad, culminating in a tense penalty shootout.
In a match filled with suspense and determination, Mallorca emerged victorious with a 5-4 win, clinching their spot in the final for the first time in 21 years.
Dominik Greif, the goalie for Mallorca, stopped Mikel Oyarzabal’s first penalty kick, and Sergi Darder scored the game-winning kick to advance Mallorca to the championship. At Sociedad‘s Reale Arena, the teams drew 1-1 in regulation and went scoreless in extra time.
On February 6, the teams drew 0-0 in the first leg held in Mallorca.
Either Atletico Madrid or Athletic Bilbao, who play the second leg of the other semifinal on Thursday in Bilbao, will face Mallorca in the final on April 6 in Seville. In Madrid, Athletic prevailed 1-0 in the first leg.
This will be Mallorca’s fourth Copa final; the team hasn’t advanced to the championship match since defeating Recreativo Huelva in 2003. It made two more last appearances in 1991 and 1998. Since 2009, it hadn’t advanced to the semifinals.
Osasuna reached the 2005 final under the leadership of Javier Aguirre, a Mexican, but ultimately lost to Real Betis.
For the first time since defeating rival Athletic to win the trophy in the 2019–20 campaign, Sociedad was attempting to make it back to the Copa final.
In the penalty shootout, Mallorca also scored goals from Vedat Muriqi, Manu Morlanes, Omar Mascarell, and Nemanja Radonjic. Sociedad’s scorers were Benat Turrientes, Sheraldo Becker, Martin Zubimendi, and Jon Ander Olasagasti.
Gio Gonzalez’s header into the far corner gave Mallorca the lead in the 50th minute, the visitors’ lone effort on goal during regulation. A lengthy wait passed while the video review examined the buildup for any potential offsides, leading to the goal’s confirmation.
After over thirty tries during the game, the hosts equalized in the 71st minute in a breakaway that saw Oyarzabal score with a low shot following a wonderful through ball from Brais Mendez. Mallorca, a team in the Spanish league that is just above the relegation zone, had only triumphed once in its previous six games.
Sociedad, which is currently sixth after 26 league rounds, has only triumphed once in its last seven games overall. The Basque Country team lost the first leg of their match against Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in France, but they are already in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
