Match Reports

hello fellow Malaga CF supporters - yes it's me again with the latest report on your Spanish La Liga team of choice!

It's Saturday night. It's 8 o'clock at night. It's another match in the fascinating season that is La Liga in Spain. Tonight Malaga face another of the top teams in Spain, Valencia, a team who are the current league champions, also UEFA Cup Champions, also SuperCup Champions. Of course, all that success was under the manager Benitez who has gone to Liverpool. Now, Valencia are managed by former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri, who, although still featuring strongly in the Champions League, are somewhat underperforming in the Spanish La Liga, so much so that Ranieri's position is under threat.
The midweek World Cup qualifiers have taken their toll on Malaga's squad with both Wanchope (Costa Rica) and Romero (Uruguay) unavailable for tonight's match. Valencia also have a number of players who featured for Spain in their excellent victory over lacklustre England in Wednesday's friendly in Madrid.
Malaga's line-up includes three players promoted from last season's Malaga B team - Juanito, Juan Rodriguez and Giejo.
Malaga (4-4-2): Calatayud, Gerardo, Fernando Sanz, Juanito, Valcarce, Manu, Michel Angel, Juan Rodriguez, Duda, Amoroso and Giejo.
Valencia (4-2-3-1): Canizares, Torres, Caneira, Pullengrino, Moretti, Bareja, Sissoko, Xisco, Corredi, Aimar and Angulo.
From the kick-off the two styles became apparent - Malaga, the team playing from the back to the front with neat interpassing, searching for the gaps in defence which the forwards can exploit - Valencia, all behind the ball, close man marking with four men ready to break into speedy counterattack.
Valencia were in their away all orange strips, with Malaga in their familiar blue and white vertical stripes.
In 2' it was Valencia who were first to show a threat on goal with the midfield maestro Sissoko blasting an effort over the bar. Next it was Angulo, who gained his first cap for Spain against England in midweek, but his shot went wide.
Malaga had their first attack on goal in 9' after some good wing play on the left by Valcarce, who found Amoroso, who's effort is deflected past for a corner.
Amoroso is brought down in 12' just outside the centre circle. Duda's free-kick just goes over.
In 19' Duda whips in a cross from the left, which Canizares gathers easily and throws out to Angula who runs past two defenders and Calatayud, but his shot is hoofed off the line by Juanito.
Two minutes later, Valcarce is given space to run down the left wing, but after running 80 yards, his shot goes straight to Canizares.
Hero turns villain in 23', when Valcarce's loose pass is intercepted by Angulo, but the Valencia's front man's snap shot goes wide.
In 23' the closest to a goal yet when Manu latches onto a loose ball and his strong drive has to be scrambled away by Canizares.
We are all excited after 28' when Duda is fouled just outside the box. The Valencia defenders are clearly worried and take time to form a defensive all. Caniera becomes the first name in the ref's book for not retreating 10 yards. Duda takes the kick, but it comes off the wall.
Real danger for Malaga after 32' when Michel Anguel loses possession in midfield allowing the little Argentinean Aimar to slip the ball through to Angula, but his lob finds the roof of the net with Calatayud beaten.
We are all on our feet in the 37' when Duda finds space on the left and fires in a shot, but it hits the side net.
Amoroso is brought down yet again on the edge of the box after 40', but Duda's freekick just goes past the far post with Canizares beaten.
The giant Sissoko, Viera-like in midfield, is starting to impose himself, winning everything in the air and on the ground, and making very clever passes. One such finds the busy Aimar, who forces a corner on the left with 45 minutes gone. He whips the corner into the box, Calatayud fails to gather on his line and the ball is bundled over the line with a number of defenders and attackers - and the goalkeeper landing in a heap. The referee blows for a goal whereas the Malaga team protest strongly to both the referee and the farside linesman, resulting in a booking for Michel Angel for dissent.
Half-time: Malaga 0 Valencia 1
Malaga start the second half brightly, fired up by their belief in their misfortune at losing a goal in the manner that they did. But it was Valencia who showed first after 50' when Aimar's pass to Angula down the right allows the front man to find CARIERO with an inch perfect cross, from which the central defender coolly slotted home from 10 yards.
Malaga 0 Valencia 2
In 55' Angula clashed with Gerardo and both men went down like a sack of tatties. After some minutes of treatment, both were substituted. Alexis came on for Gerardo in a straight forward right back for right back substitution for Malaga.
Another chance in 58' for Malaga, when the clever Brazilian Amoroso releases Duda into space. The little Portuguese winger's pass is met by the onrushing Giejo, whose goal-bound shot is deflected past for a corner.
In 63' Leko comes on for Juan Rodriguez, who although looks a promising talent for the future, was finding the Valencia defence too strong to penetrate.
Two minutes later and Alexis is booked for scything down Aimar.
In 65' Alexis puts Amoroso through, who in turn finds Michel Angel clear on goal, but the stylish midfielder lifts the ball over the bar.
In 69' the ineffective Corredi is substituted by Mista, second only to Ronaldo last year in the top scorers list.
In 72' Alexis makes a run to the touchline and manages to break the ball against the fullback for a corner. However, the linesman flags for a goalkick and is rewarded by being hit on the head by a plastic Coke bottle, thrown from the crowd. This prompted both visual (on the giant scoreboard) and verbal (over the PA) announcements that such actions will lead to "sanctions" by the club on the offenders.
The very next minute, Malaga come close to getting back into the game. Giejo takes a quick free kick to Michel Angel in space on the right, but the brilliant midfielder's shot goes just wide of the far post.
Then in 80' some real drama as Malaga continue to seek a breakthrough. In a crowded penalty area, Manu drives a strong shot towards goal and the ball appears to come off a defender's arm. The whole Malaga team surrounded the referee in protest as the man in black awarded a goal kick. Amoroso was booked for dissent.
In 81' Edgar comes on for Manu as Malaga strive to find a way back into the match. In response, Valencia remove striker Xisco and replace him with veteran defender Carboni.
But it is Valencia who close next with yet another break from defence. This time Mista's shot comes off Calatayud's legs and Juanito has to clear. His clearance goes to Duda who manages a cross into the box to find Edgar's head, but the effort goes wide.
Full-time Malaga 0 Valencia 2
An unconvincing display from the Champions, but one which will keep Ranrieri's job safe for a little while longer. Malaga again showed that they are capable of competing with the big boys, but without Wanchope up front, they didn't have the class to beat Canizares, who again showed his class as a goalkeeper and declared another clean sheet.
Next week is another home game for the blanquiazules against Albacete. This is a game, which on paper Malaga should be favourites to win, and with all their squad back and available could be a goal fest. We shall see, as your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there.