Sports

Mallorca returns to La Liga after stunning turnaround over Deportivo

June 24, 2019
Veteran midfielder Salva Sevilla, seen in this file photo, helped Real Mallorca pull off an outstanding turnaround to return to La Liga.
Veteran midfielder Salva Sevilla, seen in this file photo, helped Real Mallorca pull off an outstanding turnaround to return to La Liga.

MALLORCA — Real Mallorca pulled off an outstanding turnaround to return to La Liga for the first time in six years, winning their Segunda Division playoff final second leg with Deportivo La Coruna 3-0 at home on Sunday for a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Deportivo had won the first leg 2-0 but Mallorca got off to a strong start when Croatian Ante Budimir scored midway through the first half, with veteran midfielder Salva Sevilla striking in the 62nd minute to level the tie on aggregate.

Striker Abdon Prats then put Mallorca ahead in the tie for the first time with eight minutes remaining, running from the halfway line unchallenged before unleashing a superb left-footed shot from outside the area which bulged the net.

Mallorca finished bottom in La Liga in the 2012-13 season and were relegated to Spain's third tier Segunda Division B in 2017 but are now back in the top flight thanks to successive promotions. — Reuters


June 24, 2019
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