Levante secure vital win in six pointer and push Mallorca deeper into relegation danger

The two teams entered the contest level on 39 points which ensured high tension and solid defensive displays meant no goalkeeper was called into action until after thirty minutes had elapsed.

Carlos Espí nevertheless hinted at his threat in the opening stages and he broke the deadlock for the home side with their initial effort on target striking from distance after taking advantage of slack defending from Mallorca.

The visitors were stunned yet almost hit back straight away when Zito Luvumbo rose highest to direct a header from a floated delivery. He made good contact but Mathew Ryan produced a fine save to keep him out.

That proved the closest the Pirates came to an equaliser before the interval and with results elsewhere going against them they sat nineteenth at the break three points from safety.

The restart saw the same edgy approach from both sides though Iván Romero felt aggrieved when his shot flew just wide of the left post.

Mallorca offered little in reply initially yet the story might have changed on the hour when Sergi Darder found room to shoot inside the area only to skew his effort badly wide.

A series of changes from the Mallorca bench failed to shift momentum against Levante and the prospect of a tenth defeat in fourteen away league games drew nearer.

Given the Pirates had shipped two or more goals in eight of the prior nine outings Levante might have been expected to wrap things up yet Espí could only shoot straight at Leo Román when clean through on seventy five minutes.

Supporters of the hosts grew restless as nerves frayed and matters spilled over unpleasantly when Roger Brugué and Johan Mojica were sent off following a needless scuffle in which the latter grabbed the former by the hair.

The home side reacted better and sealed victory when Kervin Arriaga nodded home a fine delivery from a corner by Jon Ander Olasagasti.

Although they claimed the points in this crucial fixture they face a stern test next Saturday when even a draw away at Betis could prove costly.

Meanwhile Mallorca begin the day second from bottom and in search of a win but they do have the advantage of hosting already relegated Oviedo which offers them greater optimism than many sides in similar positions.