Chapter 129: Who Says We Have No Chance at the Title?
With a one-goal lead, Mallorca found the game much easier to handle.
Deportivo La Coruña pushed hard for an equalizer, but Mallorca's midfield put up a tenacious resistance. Capdevila diligently marked Makaay's diagonal runs from the flank, and even George pushed up to midfield, applying relentless pressure.
Every time Mallorca won the ball back, their counterattacks sent waves of panic through Deportivo's defense. Their approach was straightforward—win possession, play a direct pass in behind, and let Eto'o and company use their pace to exploit the gaps. It was simple, but it struck Deportivo right where they were weakest, leaving them helpless.
At the same time, Deportivo's playmaker, Djalminha, found himself trapped in a personal battle. He stubbornly tried to take matters into his own hands, repeatedly dribbling forward—only to be swarmed by Mallorca's midfield.
To be fair, his technical ability was exceptional. Even under tight marking, he managed to create some opportunities. But football is a team game. No matter how skilled he was, he couldn't single-handedly break through Mallorca's entire defensive setup.
With their backline constrained and their attacking players isolated, Deportivo's offense was ineffective at best.
The first half flew by. Deportivo struggled to break through Mallorca's midfield, Tristán was invisible due to a lack of service, and Makaay barely had any chances to make his trademark runs. Meanwhile, Mallorca's attack, though not the most efficient, had already secured the crucial opening goal.
As the halftime whistle blew, despite an intense battle in midfield, both teams had barely managed a handful of shots—fewer than ten in total.
Thanks to an early, well-executed counterattack, Mallorca held the lead in a first half where goal-scoring chances were scarce.
"We'll keep playing like this in the second half. As long as Djalminha stays on the pitch, we'll keep targeting him!"
"Let them pass the ball to him, but the moment he gets it, we swarm him! Win possession and counter quickly. Stay patient—don't push too high in attack. Makaay is lethal on the break, and we can't give him space."