Nadal strike denies Madrid
Thursday, January 23, 2003
Article summary
Real Madrid CF were held 1-1 at home by RCD Mallorca in their Spanish Cup quarter-final first leg.
Article body
Real Madrid CF were held 1-1 at home by RCD Mallorca in the first leg of their Spanish Cup quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabéu on Thursday night.
Portillo opener
Young striker Javier Portillo put Madrid ahead on 13 minutes, heading in a cross from Raúl Bravo, but there were few other chances for Vicente del Bosque's side. Mallorca's Cameroonian international, Samuel Eto'o, had two goals disallowed, one either side of Portillo's strike, before the visitors hit back just before the hour through Miguel Angel Nadal.
Madrid frustrated
The veteran defender, formerly with Madrid's great rivals FC Barcelona, appeared at the far post to control a corner on his chest and fire the ball past César Sánchez. Del Bosque responded by bringing on Luis Figo and Raúl González to play alongside Portillo and Ronaldo but that quartet failed to trouble the Mallorca defence and Madrid left the field to whistles from their own supporters.
Tote speculation
Madrid, beaten finalists last season, will travel to San Moix next Wednesday for the second leg. Missing from the Madrid squad was striker Tote, who has been linked with a loan move to Real Betis Balompié.
