Watching the intense situation on the field, Oleary found himself in a dilemma.
Oleary was an excellent coach, but his strength lay in managing a team, gradually shaping it into a cohesive, flawless unit, and then devising a suitable tactical plan. However, his expertise didn't extend to live match-day tactics and adjustments.
This was a common issue for English Premier League coaches. They often enjoy long tenures in a single position with significant power, allowing them ample time to build strong teams. Because of this, they focused more on team development. Even top-tier coaches like Ferguson and Wenger weren't known for their tactical prowess—Wenger, for instance, was often mocked for giving his players maximum freedom on the pitch, with little tactical direction after setting up his starting lineup. This lack of in-game management contributed to Arsenal's seven years without a title.
On the other hand, Ferguson was someone José deeply respected. Though initially, Ferguson followed the traditional English coaching style, the stubborn old man continually improved. Whether through signing players like Verón to boost the midfield or sacrificing Rooney for Cristiano Ronaldo later in his career, Ferguson showed remarkable growth. Even though he made mistakes, the fact that he kept evolving as a coach was admirable.
In the Premier League, the large authority coaches hold and the favorable coaching environment often lead to a lack of attention to tactical details. It wasn't until tactical masterminds like Benítez and the "madman" Mourinho entered the league that significant improvements occurred. Yet, even now, in this era, the flaw in in-game tactical adjustments still existed among many English coaches.
Compared to their Italian counterparts, English coaches were at a disadvantage. In Italy, coaches didn't receive the same level of respect. Fans preferred players or club presidents, with the latter often enjoying more attention than English Premier League presidents. Coaches in Serie A were frequently made scapegoats, with even legendary figures like Capello being dismissed without much hesitation. In this harsh environment, Serie A coaches couldn't afford to spend excessive time building a team. Instead, they honed their skills in match-day adjustments, always under pressure to win, or else risk being fired.
Thus, when the match became stalemated, Oleary didn't realize how unfavorable the situation had become. Instead, when the game seemed to be in a deadlock, he was somewhat relieved. After all, playing away from home, his goal was simply not to lose, and if he could secure a draw, that would be enough.
A deadlock wasn't a bad thing. It was just one goal down—who knew when someone from the front could burst into action, or perhaps a free kick could be taken by Hart and result in an equalizer?
With this thought in mind, Oleary remained silent and continued to watch.
On the field, Mallorca kept possession and built up their attacks slowly, each one requiring a lot of time. Leeds, on the other hand, launched their attacks much faster. After losing the ball in the front, Mallorca immediately pressed high, forcing the technically weaker Leeds players to quickly send the ball upfield, whether by air or ground, but the success rate of these attacks wasn't high.
Long passes were often intercepted by Nino and Nadal, and even when they didn't win the first ball, Mallorca was excellent at covering the second balls. The four veteran defenders rarely strayed from their positions. Ground passes also struggled to penetrate the defensive line, with N'Gonga and Soler's interceptions effectively stopping Leeds' forward movements. Each time Leeds lost the ball, their players had to expend more energy to regain possession, further draining their stamina.
By the 30th minute, Leeds' players were visibly tiring, sweat pouring down and affecting their performance.
Normally, such a physical toll wouldn't be too much of a concern for Leeds, given the Premier League's emphasis on intense running. The demanding schedule and physical strain had conditioned them to keep running even when fatigued. However, Mallorca's climate was a different challenge altogether.
The warm sunshine bathed the pitch, making the players' bodies feel sticky. Sweat formed a layer of sheen on their skin, and they seemed to be living in a steam-filled world, which made their breathing more labored and their energy expenditure even higher.
Unconsciously, their movements slowed, and each step seemed to require more effort than usual.
Gary Kelly made a flying tackle to send Stankovic's ball out of bounds. Immediately, he grabbed a bottle of water from the sideline and drank deeply, seizing the opportunity before Mallorca could take the throw-in.
The refreshing water revived him, but behind him, Radbey shouted, "Gary, don't drink too fast—it'll affect your running!"
Kelly could only laugh bitterly. As a professional player, he knew better, but in that moment, even if it was like drinking poison to quench thirst, he couldn't care less.
Kelly wasn't the only Leeds player doing this.
Every time there was a dead ball situation, several Leeds players seized the chance to gulp down water to re-energize themselves. Seeing this, the Mallorca fans grew even louder in their cheers—Leeds' players were struggling, and now was the time to press for a bigger lead.
This was something even the fans could see, so how could the players on the field miss it?
At that moment, José's voice rang out from the sidelines: "Press forward! Get another goal!"
With José's instructions, Mallorca's attacks grew even more intense.
After a period of slow buildup, Mallorca's offensive pace quickened. The wingers began to break through more often, and N'Gonga in the center also pushed forward. This put significant pressure on Leeds' defense.
In the 35th minute, after a series of passes, Tristan drew attention from Leeds defenders and allowed Eto'o to slip a pass through. N'Gonga, following up, took a long shot just outside the box, which Martin saved with a diving effort. Radbey cleared the ball immediately.
In the 38th minute, N'Gonga passed to Stankovic, who made a through ball to Eto'o. Eto'o chipped the ball into the box, and Tristan reached it first but couldn't generate enough power with his header. Martin saved it once again.
By the 42nd minute…
Seeing the defense beginning to crack, Oleary started to panic. The drop in his players' energy and the overall poor performance had them under constant pressure from Mallorca. If not for the solid efforts from the two central defenders, they would have already conceded more goals. At this point, there was little he could do except pray—hope they could hold on until halftime and make adjustments then.
But on the field, prayer was hardly a reliable strategy.
In the 44th minute.
In that ominous minute, Leeds' defense finally collapsed.
Eto'o received the ball on the left wing and, facing Buck's defense, elegantly cut inside to evade the challenge. He then surged forward through the center!
Eto'o's move caused chaos in Leeds' defense. Seeing the confusion, Eto'o calmly passed to the unmarked Stankovic. The Serbian player took a touch and crossed into the box, where Tristan leaped high and scored with a precise header to the bottom right corner.
The ball bounced off the ground, hit the turf, and then flew past Martin, who couldn't react in time, and into the net!
"Goal! 2-0! Mallorca has doubled their lead before halftime! Now Leeds are in a difficult position. From the start of the match, Leeds have looked off-color, and it seems the warm weather is taking a heavy toll on them, slowing them down on the field… If this continues, Mallorca may reach the European final for the second year in a row, which would be a huge honor for this island team!"
"Well done, lads!" José shouted at the players, who were celebrating with hugs on the field. With a two-goal lead, things were looking very promising. As long as they didn't concede in the second half, they'd have a significant advantage, even away from home.
The fact that the players' performance had been severely impacted by the weather was undeniable. The physical exhaustion was something they hadn't prepared for before the game, and it couldn't be rectified in the short halftime break. Now, with a 2-0 lead, Mallorca could play much more comfortably.
Mallorca's celebrations lasted for almost two minutes. When the game resumed, the referee blew the halftime whistle just over a minute later. Mallorca's fans cheered wildly as their players made their way to the tunnel, while Leeds' players trudged off, exhausted both physically and mentally.
"We've played excellently in the first half, completely dominating Leeds!" José exclaimed in the locker room, elated. "In the second half, they'll improve a bit, but don't worry. The two-goal advantage at home should be enough to get us to the final… In the second half, conserve some energy, don't charge in too aggressively. Let's stick to our defensive counterattacks and grind them down. If there's no opportunity, don't rush the long balls, just pass around in the back and waste some time."
The players froze for a moment.
Conserve energy? Why?
"Don't forget, we play at the Nou Camp in three days," José waved his hand. "In the second half, play defensively. Don't let them score. That's all we need to do."
José didn't explain much further, merely signaling the players to rest.
In truth, José already felt confident about their victory in this semifinal. While no match was ever guaranteed, given the state of Leeds' team, it seemed almost impossible for them to turn things around. With a 2-0 lead at home and Mallorca's defensive counterattack style, Leeds wouldn't get any chances in the second leg.
At this point, José was already thinking ahead. When they signed Eto'o on loan, José had promised to help block Madrid's other rivals in the upcoming league matches. However, against teams like Deportivo La Coruña and Valencia, José had almost given up on the games. For his future relationship with Real Madrid, José needed to show some goodwill, as Eto'o was still technically a Madrid player, only loaned to Mallorca.