Mexican Javier Aguirre’s Mallorca Advances to Copa del Rey Final after Thrilling Victory over Real Sociedad
In a nail-biting match filled with emotions, Mexican coach Javier Aguirre’s Mallorca managed to secure a spot in the 2023-24 Copa del Rey Final after defeating Real Sociedad in a penalty shootout. The Return Semifinal ended in a 1-1 draw, with Mallorca ultimately coming out on top with a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout.
The tying goals in regular time were scored by Giovanni González, who put Mallorca ahead in the 50th minute, and Mikel Oyarzabal, who equalized for Real Sociedad in the 71st minute of play.
The match started with both teams showing some initial inaccuracies, with Real Sociedad having a slight edge in the early stages. However, the game lacked clear goal-scoring opportunities until the midway point of the first half.
The first half saw a penalty awarded to Real Sociedad, which was missed by Brais Méndez as Mallorca’s goalkeeper Dominik Greif made a crucial save. Mallorca went into halftime with a slim advantage.
The second half saw Mallorca extend their lead with a goal from Giovanni González, but Real Sociedad fought back with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring the equalizer. The match went into extra time, where both teams had chances to clinch victory.
The game ultimately came down to a penalty shootout, with Mallorca emerging victorious after Mikel Oyarzabal missed his spot-kick. Mallorca will now await the winner of the other semifinal between Atlético de Madrid and Athletic Club to see who they will face in the final at La Cartuja.
Javier Aguirre’s Mallorca will be hoping to lift the Copa del Rey trophy and make their mark in Spanish football history.