In the 63rd minute, after receiving a pass from Guerrero, Echeverría forcefully went to the byline and crossed the ball. Urseis managed to momentarily shake off Nino with a well-timed run and then leapt to meet the ball with a powerful header!
"Guerrero... Echeverría... Urseis!" the commentator shouted with excitement, "A header!"
The ball, curling from the change of direction, quickly flew toward the top right corner of the goal. Just as the fans of Athletic Bilbao were about to cheer, a large hand changed everything!
After quickly moving sideways, Franco leapt into the air, extended his right hand, and, with perfect timing, flicked the ball upwards. It spun mid-air and brushed the crossbar before flying out of bounds!
"Oh! What a fantastic save! Franco has saved Mallorca!" the commentator exclaimed. "Just like Tristan, Franco was one of the young players José strongly advocated using after he took charge, and like Tristan, he's performed excellently! Though he's mostly quiet, Franco manages to make one or two key saves every match! Perhaps that's what sets Franco apart from his predecessor Bogus. Bogus rarely made thrilling saves; he would never miss a straightforward save, but it was difficult for him to stop spectacular shots. Franco, on the other hand, can turn the tide of a match with one incredible save! That's the priceless value of a goalkeeper!"
On state television, Idalgo praised Franco's save. Bones, agreeing, nodded and added, "That's right, this save was truly spectacular. Over the last three matches, Franco has made one or two key saves per game, which is impressive for a young goalkeeper. José certainly has a good eye for young talent. If used well, Franco and Tristan could ensure Mallorca won't need to worry about goalkeepers and strikers for years!"
"Though, Tristan just missed a penalty. Maybe the young striker got a bit too excited," Idalgo added.
"Maybe," Bones responded. "His form has been excellent lately. I hope this missed penalty doesn't knock him off track…"
Just as they were praising Franco, the young goalkeeper gave them another chance to do so.
Echeverría stood at the corner flag, noticing the chaos inside Mallorca's penalty box. The Spanish national team winger didn't aim the ball directly into the crowded area—despite Urseis being a strong aerial threat, Mallorca's defense boasted tall figures, like Nino and Nadal, both over 1.85 meters tall, who excelled in aerial duels.
Instead, Echeverría sent the ball to the edge of the penalty area.
There, unmarked, Guerrero timed his run perfectly and met the ball with a first-time volley.
The ball flew quickly toward the top left corner of the goal, but Franco, alert and focused, made another brilliant save. He swiftly moved, leaped, and caught the ball in his hands, denying any chance of a follow-up shot.
"Oh, another brilliant save!" the commentators continued their praise for Franco, while the Athletic Bilbao fans in the stands groaned in frustration, yet couldn't help but jeer at Franco.
Despite Franco's consecutive amazing saves, the momentum of Athletic Bilbao was far from slowing down.
The sudden burst of energy from several key attacking players made their threat even greater. Meanwhile, Mallorca's defense, which had been solid in the first half, began to show cracks—age and fatigue weighed heavily on the veteran players. With the match reaching its final segment, the older Mallorca players, whose stamina was waning, found it increasingly difficult to focus.
Especially on the left-back, Olejós. His task of marking Echeverría, a national team winger, had been demanding. With Soler covering Guerrero and N'Gonga helping out, Nino faced off with Urseis while Nadal offered additional support. Olejós, however, was left to defend alone.
Olejós had done well with his experience earlier in the match, but now, with his stamina depleted, he was struggling to keep up with the quick and agile winger.
José noticed this and, glancing at the bench, called for the 25-year-old left-back Armando: "Álvarez, warm up!"
Armando quickly made his way out. Though his opportunities had been limited this season, he had earned some chances due to Olejós's age—at least he was young enough to offer a fresh perspective.
But before Armando could complete his warm-up, Athletic Bilbao launched another fierce attack.
It was clear that Echeverría had realized Olejós was slowing down. After requesting the ball, he started a determined run down the left flank, bypassing Olejós's defense!
Instead of crossing, Echeverría cut inside toward the penalty area.
Though Olejós was beaten, he wasn't fully out of the picture. Just as Echeverría prepared to cut in, Olejós, fatigued, was slow to react, and Echeverría stormed into the penalty box.
At that point, Olejós was hesitant to foul. Young defenders might have impulsively taken drastic actions, but Olejós, an experienced veteran, chose a steadier approach—though it appeared less heroic, it was more composed!
Olejós followed Echeverría closely, trying his best to disrupt him from behind while Nadal cautiously approached from the front. In the confined space of the penalty area, Echeverría's speed advantage was minimized, and Mallorca's defense had become less vulnerable.
Inside the penalty area, Urseis and another forward, Escro, continued to make runs to create space. Guerrero and midfielder Javier González joined in, pushing forward into the box. With the defenders and midfielders of Mallorca also closing in, the penalty area was a scene of chaos.
Franco, watching intently from the goal line, could do little except brace himself for a shot that might come at any moment…
Echeverría played the ball into the box, and a scramble ensued.
Amid the confusion, someone poked the ball, which leaped up like a mischievous sprite. Just as everyone lunged to reach it, Guerrero sidestepped and half-volleyed the ball into the net!
Without a doubt, the ball flew into the goal, and Franco didn't even have time to react!
"One-all!" The commentator's voice rang out through the San Mamés stadium, echoed by the jubilant roar of Athletic Bilbao fans: "The goal was scored by our golden boy, Juren—Guerrero!"
Bilbao fans raised their arms, cheering for the figure celebrating at the center of the field. Though it was only a draw, the fans were convinced that Athletic Bilbao's excellent performance meant they would eventually win the match!
On the sidelines, Fernandez let out a long sigh. After making several substitutions, including taking Guerrero off in previous matches, he had originally planned to substitute him again after a poor first half. However, after hearing protests from the fans and seeing Guerrero stand up for him, Fernandez hesitated. In the end, he decided to keep Guerrero on the field for the entire match, and Guerrero repaid that trust with a goal.
"Maybe my earlier thinking was wrong... Guerrero hasn't lost his motivation for the game!" Fernandez thought to himself.
Realizing this, Fernandez became resolute in his intention to continue using Guerrero moving forward. Meanwhile, José was deep in thought.
It was clear that Athletic Bilbao was starting to show excellent form. If the match continued in this manner, it would definitely shift in their favor. At this point, it was time to show courage and fighting spirit...
Mallorca called for a substitution! This time, they made two changes—left-back Armando came on for the exhausted Olejós, and Eto'o replaced Carlos!
When Eto'o stepped onto the pitch, his mind was filled with an intense desire to score.
This was his third match for Mallorca, coming on as a substitute in all three. Eto'o knew José was being cautious with him, gradually helping him adjust to the match pace and develop better chemistry with his teammates.
But after providing an assist in his first match, his performances in the following games had been rather average. Despite playing almost the entire second half against Real Sociedad, he hadn't had much of an impact.
Though José had never criticized him, Eto'o felt frustrated with his own performance. He wanted to score, to play, to run freely on the field!
José hadn't imposed any tactical restrictions on him. Before the match, he simply told him, "Support your teammates' passes, then launch the attack... Whether you're connecting with teammates or going solo, it's up to you. The goal is to put the ball in their net—that's victory!"
That's exactly the feeling Eto'o craved!
Receiving the ball, he wanted to break through, using his skills and speed to tear through the opposing defense and create opportunities. This desire was almost explosive, and it was evident in his interactions with teammates when he communicated José's attacking instructions.
Even Tristan, who had been feeling down after missing a penalty, was taken aback by Eto'o's intensity: "Samuel, what's with you?"
Eto'o flashed a fierce grin, his eyes full of determination: "Diego, don't you want to make those guys pay? Let's attack, and let's silence their fans again! I want to enjoy that feeling!"
Tristan paused, sensing Eto'o's burning competitive spirit. His own feelings of defeat began to reignite with passion!
"You're right, let's go out there and silence their fans once more!" Tristan said, giving Eto'o a solid pat on the shoulder.
The game resumed, and Mallorca's attacking momentum noticeably increased!
Despite the emphasis on offense, José didn't abandon his defense. He ensured more players joined in the attack but kept two center-backs and midfielder Soler stationed back to defend. After all, they were not quick nor effective in attack—quality, not quantity, was key.
With Eto'o now on the field, Mallorca's attacking capability had noticeably improved, enough to go head-to-head with Athletic Bilbao!