Deportivo La Coruna 2 : 1 Mallorca - Depor move closer to safety

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2011 by PA

Deportivo La Coruna fought back from a half-time deficit against Real Mallorca to claim a valuable victory in their fight to avoid the drop.

Mallorca took a 27th-minute lead through Pierre Webo - who was also sent off late on - but Depor turned the game around with two goals in 12 second-half minutes from Xisco and Nouioui Lassad to take the spoils.

The triumph allowed Depor to move five points clear of the bottom three and will help the Galician side breathe a little easier after winning just twice in their previous 12 matches.

For mid-table Mallorca, the defeat means they are still not completely safe from relegation on 38 points.

Webo had felt prior to the match that a victory would practically assure Mallorca's top-flight status - 40 points have been enough to guarantee survival in four of the last six seasons - and the Cameroon international's first-half goal put the Balearic club on course to achieve that aim.

Jose Luis Marti's cross from the right was perfect for Webo to attack on the edge of the six-yard box and he sent a downward header past the helpless Daniel Aranzubia in the home goal.

That strike was the difference between the sides at half-time, but Mallorca's advantage lasted just 10 minutes of the second half before Xisco drew the teams level.

The striker, who had yet to score since rejoining Depor on loan from Newcastle in January, latched onto a brilliant through-ball from Juan Carlos Valeron before sliding a first-time shot past Dudu Aouate, who had raced out to the edge of his area.

Soon after that Depor were celebrating what turned out to be the winner when Lassad picked up a loose ball near the right edge of the box before drilling a low shot into far bottom corner.

Depor had chances to increase their lead, with Ivan Riki spurning a good opening after beating the offside trap and Adrian Lopez firing against the near post, but they were unable to finish the game off.

However, Mallorca created little to worry Aranzubia at the other end and any faint hopes the visitors may have had of salvaging a point ended when Webo was shown a straight red card following a fracas in injury-time.