Real Mallorca and Real Sociedad cancelled each other out in a cagey 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey, 2023-2024 semi-final at a packed Son Moix stadium on Tuesday.
Visiting Sociedad had the better of the few clear-cut chances with Umar Sadiq somehow falling to score from point-blank range in a marginally more exciting second half.
Mallorca talisman Abdon Prats went closest for the islanders with a volley midway through the first half and another low shot just off target early in the second half.
Sociedad will be favourites to progress from the second leg on February 27 although Javier Aguirre’s Mallorca will retain hope of repeating their sole Copa Del Rey title in 2003.
“With this opponent, who are better than us, who have a lot of resources, I’m happy with the result,” Aguirre said.
“We knew they were going to put us under pressure, it was a game where we had to work a lot, run a lot, maybe not the most attractive, but the tie is open.”
Mallorca‘s 4-0 defeat by Bilbao at the weekend left them precariously placed just above the La Liga drop zone but the mood was buoyant ahead of Tuesday’s cup clash.
Sadly, the match was not much of a spectacle for the excited crowd as it descended into a tactical battle with Malorca failing to register a single shot on target.
Real Sociedad gradually seized control of the match and would have returned home with victory but for some way ward finishing by Sadiq.
Copa Del Rey result:
Real Mallorca-0 vs Real Sociedad-0.