La Liga: Mallorca 1 Athletic Bilbao 0

Mallorca won their first match in five with a 1-0 triumph over Athletic Bilbao in Monday’s La Liga match.

Both sides could not have entered the match in different form, with Athletic Bilbao unbeaten in six – including four successive wins – while Mallorca had just won two of their last 11 matches.

But form counted for nothing in Mallorca, with Cameroon international Pierre Webo giving the hosts an 11th-minute lead.

The forward converted after good build-up play from strike partner Emilio Nsue.

Athletic Bilbao boss Joaquin Caparros rung the changes in the second half as he pushed for an equaliser, but was left disappointed by Mallorca’s sturdy defence.

The win lifts Mallorca into the top half of the table – one point ahead of struggling Atletico Madrid in 11th and six ahead of 12th-placed Hercules – giving manager Michael Laudrup plenty of breathing space from the wrong end of the table.

Athletic Bilbao remain in fifth position but missed a chance to close the gap on Villarreal to four points, and the Basque club now are only point ahead of Espanyol.