Mallorca draw blank in midday sun

Posted Sunday, May 08, 2011 by PA

Real Mallorca and Villarreal played out a dull goalless draw in an early Primera Division fixture.

The game was scheduled for midday in an experiment by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) with a view to staging more matches earlier in the day next season, thus allowing audiences in Asia the benefit of watching Primera Division football.

But on this evidence, they may not bother.

Villarreal, fresh from their Europa League semi-final exit against Porto on Thursday night, almost went ahead after 19 minutes when Giuseppe Rossi hit the post.

But that was the only real meaningful action of a miserable first half in what was billed as something of a grudge match, after Villarreal had taken Mallorca's place in Europe last summer after the islanders were disqualified for financial irregularities, causing ill feeling between the two sides.

In the second half, Nilmar twice forced Mallorca keeper German Lux into good saves, while Pierre Webo was a threat for the islanders as he headed one chance over the bar and saw another gathered by Diego Lopez.

The Cameroon striker also drilled a shot wide of the target, but neither side looked particularly likely to break the deadlock and the game predictably finished goalless.

Mallorca did at least move a point further clear of the relegation zone and with 43, the islanders should be safe from the drop with three rounds of the championship remaining.

Villarreal will have been more disappointed, though, having lost ground in the race for third.

Juan Carlos Garrido's side are now five points adrift of third-placed Valencia.