Mallorca came into the game hoping to solidify their place in LaLiga’s top six ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures - something that stood a fair chance of happening on paper, given the fact that Celta Vigo were yet to beat a team that has started a match above them in the table (D3, L5).
Los Bermellones started the game well too, going close inside the opening seven minutes after Javi Llabres’ cross was headed towards the bottom-right corner by Cyle Larin, but the Canadian’s header was saved by Vicente Guaita.
Punishing that missed opportunity, Celta took the lead with their first shot on target.
The goal came from Hugo Alvarez after being found by Ilaix Moriba, with his deflected strike finding the top-right corner after striking the inside of the post, giving the young Spaniard his third goal of the season.
Mallorca did create most of the chances in the first half though, and they went close to finding an equaliser four minutes before half-time, with Larin shooting towards the bottom right corner from the centre of the penalty area, only to be thwarted by Guaita once again.
Celta started the second half well and went close to adding a second eight minutes after the break. Alvarez was the man who went close again, after racing forward and deciding to go on his own, but this time the winger's effort went narrowly wide of the right post.
Claudio Giraldez’s side continued to push for a second goal as the game went on, and a golden opportunity came with just over 20 minutes remaining when an Iago Aspas cross picked out Alfon Gonzalez, but the wideman’s left-footed strike flew wide of the right-hand post.
Any chance of a comeback for the visitors took a real hit as the game was about to enter the final 10 minutes, with Antonio Raillo shown the red card after an unsporting reaction to a challenge.
And sure enough, Celta managed to add a second goal through Aspas, with a ball falling to him inside the area allowing him to drill a powerful low effort into the centre of the goal.
That sealed Celta’s passage into the top half of the table, where they will stay at least for tonight. Meanwhile, Mallorca failed to solidify their place in the top six and will have to rely on results elsewhere to keep them in the European spots.