Spiritless Mallorca crushed by Sevilla

Sevilla settled into their temporary home on Sunday by crushing an uninspired Real Mallorca side 3-0. Playing at Cadiz's Ramon de Carranza stadium, Joaquin Caparros' side took a 14th–minute lead, courtesy of Jose Antonio Reyes. Mariano Toedtli added two goals in the 33rd and 84th minutes to send Mallorca spinning to their fourth successive defeat. Sevilla, forced into exile until the beginning of March after crowd trouble at the Seville derby earned them a four–match ban from their home ground, came into the game on the back of a 3–0 mauling at the hands of Real Madrid on Thursday. Perhaps that would explain their cautious approach against Mallorca, who had been chastened themselves in recent games, going down to Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Barcelona. Defeat for Mallorca leaves them in seventh place in the league, one place above Barcelona. The Islanders will need to bounce back when they face Valladolid at Son Moix tomorrow night in the first leg of the Copa del Rey, third round. The “home” side allowed Mallorca to come at them, but their cautious approach paid off and they were able to mount effective counter attacks throughout the first half. Mallorca, on the other hand, were unable to create anything of note and by the end of the first period their play had become sloppy and full of errors as they became frustrated with their midfield trio's inability to make an impression on the opposing defence. Their forwards were largely left to forage for themselves. At the other end, Jose Antonio Reyes was Sevilla's star man. He led the attack well and was involved in practically everything his side did. The second half was something of an anti–climax, with Mallorca failing to up their game and Sevilla able to play within themselves and run out comfortable winners. Sevilla began to take a stranglehold on the game with Reyes' first goal. Francisco Casquero released Fredi Lobeiras down the left wing and he elected to cross early. His cross was met with a flying header by Reyes inside the six–yard box. Leo Franco got a touch, but the sheer power of the header took it past him and into the net. Sevilla doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Casquero played the ball out of midfield, finding Francisco Gallardo on the right. His far–post cross was nodded past Franco by Toedtli who had gained a couple of yards on the last defender. Mallorca's best move of the match came in the 68th minute. Turu Flores rounded off a fluent passing move by playing the ball in for Walter Pandiani on the right–hand side of the penalty area. Pandiani's shot across the face of the goal shaved the far post and went wide. It fell to Toedtli to finally kill the game off in the dying minutes. The Argentine striker stole a couple of yards on fellow countryman Federico Lussenhoff to sweep home right–footed Juan Redondo's right–wing cross.