Racing continues to struggle in La Liga

Racing continues to struggle in La Liga

Published Apr. 12, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

Racing Santander remain marooned at the bottom of the Primera Division after Mallorca secured their survival with a 3-0 win at El Sardinero.

The visitors got off to a dream start as Victor Casadesus' pass split the Racing defence wide open and Emilio Nsue ran through to round Dani Sostres and roll the ball home.

Christian Stuani should have equalised when he struck the post midway through the first half but Mallorca wrapped up the points within eight minutes of the break as Chori Castro doubled their advantage from another Victor assist before Alejandro Alfaro bundled in a third after Nsue had hit the crossbar.

Racing have now lost six of their seven games since Alvaro Cervera took charge and they could not have got off to a worse start as Victor's quick thinking released Nsue to race beyond the hosts' static back line and the Spain Under-21 international coolly finished to register his third goal of the season.

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Cervera's men however did not wilt after losing the early goal and should have been level on 25 minutes when Stuani rounded Dudu Aouate but could not find the target from a narrow angle and his effort came back off the post.

At the other end Mallorca were continuing to threaten and Fernando Tissone's speculative effort came back off the bar two minutes later.

The Balearic Islanders took advantage of more slack Racing defending two minutes into the second period as Pau Cendros and Victor worked an opening on the right and the latter's cross was stroked home at the back post by Castro.

Racing struck the woodwork again moments later as Edu Bedia's controlled effort from Stuani's lay-off came back off the bar, but Mallorca soon added a third as another cross to the back post this time found Nsue and after his header came back off the crossbar, Alfaro was on hand to force the ball over the line.

Santander continued to create openings but substitute Khouma Babacar wastefully fired over from Pedro Munitis' intelligent pass and their night was summed up in stoppage time when they hit the upright for the third time as Stuani's header from Manuel Arana's corner struck the crossbar.

Defeat coupled with Villarreal's win means Racing are now 10 points from safety, whilst Mallorca move on to the 40-point mark in 12th.

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