PALMA (Interstat) — Iker Recio scored in the 58th minute and Eldense held on for a 1-0 victory over Baleares on Thursday in a football match. The visiting side made the only goal of the game stand through a tense closing stretch that included seven yellow cards and 10 substitutions. Eldense found the winning moment after a scoreless first half and then defended its lead as Baleares pushed for an equalizer. The home side could not find a response over the final half-hour. Baleares was the home team, but Eldense’s goal proved enough.

Recio supplied the decisive moment when he scored for Eldense in the 58th minute. He was on the field for all 90 minutes and finished with one goal. The goal broke a scoreless match and gave Eldense the lead for good. Baleares could not answer over the final half-hour, and Eldense protected the advantage with a series of changes. Recio’s strike was the only goal recorded by either team. The first half ended scoreless after Baleares received two yellow cards and Eldense one, and Eldense found the breakthrough after the restart.

The match had been physical from the start. Montcheu F. of Baleares was shown a yellow card in the third minute. Eldense’s Nieto M. was booked in the 36th minute. Baleares’ Lopez I. received a yellow card in the 44th minute. The first half ended without a goal, but the cautions continued after the break. After Recio’s goal, Baleares’ Fofi was cautioned in the 68th minute, and Caballero R. of Baleares was booked in the 76th minute. Eldense’s Rastrojo J. was shown a yellow card in the fourth minute of stoppage time, and Martin J. of Eldense was booked in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Baleares finished with four yellow cards, while Eldense received three.

Eldense began making substitutions before the goal, with Rodrigues D. entering in the 55th minute. Bustillo M. followed in the 63rd minute, and Nieto M. came off in the 64th minute. Baleares made three changes in quick succession, with Femenias M. entering in the 70th minute, and Catala R. and Miguelito following in the 71st minute. Eldense used Yanda J. and Olaizola J. in the 74th minute. Baleares brought on Montcheu F. in the 75th minute and Bonet G. in the 82nd minute. Both teams used five substitutions as the match moved into its final stages. The substitutions did not produce an equalizer for Baleares, and Eldense maintained its narrow lead through the final minutes. The final whistle came after a lengthy stoppage-time period.

The win moved Eldense to 1-0 in the competition and 4-2 across all competitions. Baleares dropped to 0-1 in the competition and 2-1-3 overall. Eldense had lost at Albacete in its previous match, while Baleares had beaten Alcoyano at home in its previous outing. Eldense’s recent run also included a 3-2 win at Valladolid, a 2-1 home win over Cordoba and a 4-1 home win over Oviedo, along with a 1-0 loss at Burgos CF. Baleares had drawn 2-2 at Lorca Deportiva, drawn 2-2 with Mallorca B, beaten Poblense 2-1 and drawn 1-1 at Cieza before the Alcoyano win. The result gave Eldense a fourth win this season. Eldense next hosts Granada CF, and Baleares next travels to Pena Deportiva.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Baleares 2, Eldense 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Baleares with a 70.7 percent probability to win. Eldense had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.