Mallorca beat Sociedad, into first cup final since 2003

The Spanish club partly owned by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former NBA great Steve Nash defeated Real Sociedad 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Wednesday (AEDT) to make it to the decider 21 years after winning the competition for the only time.

Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif saved the opening penalty by Mikel Oyarzabal, then Sergi Darder converted the decisive kick to put Mallorca in the final. The teams drew 1-1 in regulation and were scoreless in extra time at Sociedad's Reale Arena.

The teams had drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Mallorca on February 6.

Mallorca will play the April 6 final in Seville against either Atletico Madrid or Athletic Bilbao, who will play the second leg of the other semi-final on Friday in Bilbao. Athletic won the first leg 1-0 in Madrid.

It will be the fourth Copa final for Mallorca, who hadn't made it the title game since it won the tournament in 2003 against Recreativo Huelva. Their other final appearances were in 1991 and 1998.

Sociedad were trying to return to the cup final for the first time since beating rivals Athletic to lift the trophy in the 2019-20 season.

Mallorca took the lead in the 50th minute with a header by Gio Gonzalez into the far corner in what was the visitors' only attempt on target during regulation. There was a long delay before the goal was confirmed as video review looked for a possible offside in the build-up.

The hosts, who had nearly 30 attempts throughout the match, equalised in the 71st with Oyarzabal finding the net with a low shot after a nice through ball by Brais Mendez.

Mallorca, who sit just outside the relegation zone in the Spanish top flight, had won only one of their previous six games.

Sociedad, seventh after 26 league rounds, had one win in their last seven across all competitions. The Basque Country club are in the last 16 of the Champions League, having lost the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in France.

Australian Associated Press