Match Reports

After a three week Christmas and New Year break, Malaga's first game of 2006 was away to local rivals Sevilla, in a hostile crowd of 40,000, where 1000 brave Malaga supporters ventured to see if the blue and whites could repeat last year's 0-2 away win.
But Malaga's bad luck continues. In the warm-up before the game, left back Valcarce sustained an injury and had to be substituted without making an appearance at the kick-off. Alexis, who has played all season at right back, was put in at left back and Jesus Gamez who impressed against Villarreal got the right back slot. Then, after only 29 minutes, Hidalgo was sent off on a straight red card for an innocuous foul in midfield, giving the home side a further advantage. Within three minutes of the sending off, they went ahead with a goal from Maresca, whilst Malaga were trying to regroup.
The visitors managed to hang on until half time, when Manager Antonio Tapia changed the team by bringing on 8'3" Uruguayan giant, Morales, in an attacking formation, with three in midfield and two up front. The impact was almost instant, as Morales found space down the right and his square pass was booted into the net by his strike partner, Salva, in 47 minutes, to restore parity. It seems 10-man Malaga had the upper hand at this point and went looking for a second goal. But the usually dependable captain, Fernando Sanz, made two errors in rapid succession in the 62nd and 64th minutes and gifted Sevilla two goals to Adriano and Dragutinovic respectively, to leave Malaga beaten 3-1.

So to Sunday's match against Cadiz, another Andalucian derby, and against a team new to La Liga, having just been promoted at the end of last season after many years in the lower divisions. In fact, Malaga CF have never played Cadiz in the league before, the last encounter between the two cities being back in season 1990-91 in the Second Division, before Malaga UD went bust.
We were all looking forward to the game as it had been several weeks since we had been to La Roselada and also we were looking forward to seeing Malaga's three new signings in the January transfer window, Brazilians Gabriel and Bovio, both signed from Brazilian clubs and left winger Antonio Lopez, signed from Sevilla. We were also looking forward to two home games in succession against newly promoted sides (next week sees the visit of Celta Vigo) and a chance to see an end to a bad run of seven games without a win, which has seen Malaga slide down the table to just above the relegation zone. Two victories would see them jump eight places in this tight league and out of danger.
So it was quite disappointing when we saw Malaga's line-up. Valcarce was still out injured, so Alexis remained at left back, with Jesus Gamez at right back. Gabriel did get a start, but on the right wing, when the press had indicated that he was a defender. There was no room for Anderson, our third Brazilian, not even on the bench, and Bovio and Antonio Lopez were named as substitutes. Also named as a substitute was Morales, who had made such an impact in the two previous games, and so it was a very defensive 4-2-3-1 formation that Tapia put out, at home, against a team that had only scored 12 goals in 18 games. In addition, captain Fernando Sanz was dropped (for the first time in three seasons) for his errors against Sevilla and Litos got his first start of the season in the heart of the defence.

Malaga (4-2-3-1): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Litos, Cesar and Alexis; Juan Rodriguez and Gerardo; Gabriel, Edgar and Nacho; Salva.
Cadiz (4-2-4): Armando; Varela, De la Cuesta, De Quintana and Silva; Suarez and Benjamin; Enrique, Sesma, Medina and Mirosavijevic.

In the absence of both Fernando Sanz and Valcarce, it's Edgar wearing the captain's arm band, as he lined up in the centre of midfield after spending the first half of the season as a pacy right winger. It's also the second home game in a row against a team with the nickname "Yellow Submarines" and the away team's kit was certainly in the bright canary colour.
The opening 10 minutes or so was like the two teams were struggling to adapt to the conditions as the ground was unusually heavy and wet, as prior to the match we had had three days of heavy rain. Tonight it was fair and 17C at the 17:00h kick-off, but Geoff and I were concerned that in our third season as season ticket holders, we were at last going to be soaked, as there is no cover at La Roseleda, and we had managed so far to escape any rainfall at all.
We had to wait until the 13' for the first attempt at goal and it was from Edgar, tight on the left goal-line, who somehow managed a shot which Armando did well to palm away.
Then, in the next minute, a sensational stooshie. Cadiz's first meaningful foray into Malaga's half and they win a free kick down their left after a foul by Jesus Gamez on Enrique. Enrique took the kick himself and sent in a good cross along the 6 yard line into the crowded box. The Malaga defence waited for Arnau to take, but their Uruguayan striker, MEDINA, clearly stuck out his hand to divert the ball into the net. The referee awarded the goal, after which he was surrounded by the entire Malaga team, who followed him across to the linesman, who had since trotted back to the half-way line, in front of the Malaga bench, who in turn were all on their feet remonstrating. After several minutes of protest, a yellow card was waved (at Alexis, I think) and the teams took their positions for the restart. The run of bad breaks that Malaga has had to endure this season continues.
Malaga 0 Cadiz 1
Directly after the resumption, Juan Rodriguez was booked for a frustration-led feet up foul on Enrique.
Then, in 18' Benjamin was booked for a similar foul on Gerardo and it was starting to look not a little uncomfortable for the referee, who had to reassert his authority quickly or the game was going to end with very few players on the park.
In 24' Gerardo takes a free kick on the right. Uncharacteristically, he does not go for goal himself, but picks out Edgar in the box. Unfortunately he has his back to goal and in swivelling around he is not able to direct his shot properly which goes just wide.
In 27' Enrique is allowed to run in on goal from a very obvious offside position and although Arnau makes a comfortable save, the Malaga bench are back up on their feet shouting at this same linesman who allowed the goal. The referee runs across the park and shows a yellow card to one of the Malaga substitutes, at this point, we know not whom.
Then in 28' the occasion Geoff and I have dreaded for three years. It started to rain! There was much of a flurry in the crowd as ponchos, rain-mates, beanie hats, plastic macs and all sorts were put on by the worried spectators. They needn't have worried. In 29' the rain stopped and didn't return during the game.
Back to the game and in summary it was a scrappy affair. Neither team had a grip in midfield; there was no fluency to the game. Malaga's formation didn't look right with no player taking the eye and all looking like they weren't sure what position they were in and what they were supposed to be doing, with so many players out of position. They reminded me of Scotland under Bertie Vogts. And Cadiz weren't any better, posing no threat to Malaga's goal as the game got stuck in midfield and was peppered with numerous stoppages for petty fouls.
Then, in 30', with all the time in the world, giant centre back Cesar made his pass wide to Alexis too short and lacking in pace. In jumped MEDINA to intercept and run onto Arnau, who he cleverly chipped as the goalkeeper came out to narrow the angles.
Malaga 0 Cadiz 2
Then in 38' Cesar almost gifts another one as he slips to the ground when he should have been comfortable with plenty of time. This time Sesma accepts the gift but his shot goes wide with Arnau stranded.
Then in 40' Cesar does it again, as he looks increasingly uncomfortable in the conditions and we were all saying 3-0 when Suarez picked up the loose ball 12 yards out but he put it just over.
We are praying for halftime and some improvement from Malaga,when Benjamin drives a free kick at goal, which Arnau did well to save.
Half time Malaga 0 Cadiz 2
Tapia does ring the changes at half time. Not surprisingly Cesar is taken off and replaced by Antonio Lopez. Jesus Gamez is also subbed as Morales comes on. So it's a completely new line-up for the second half, as Malaga go to a 4-4-2 formation (which we all believe is how the team should have started!)
Malaga (4-4-2): Arnau; Gerardo, Litos, Alexis and Nacho; Gabriel, Juan Rodriguez, Edgar and Antonio Lopez; Salva and Morales.
It's all Malaga now as they start to press the Cadiz defence for the first time in the match. Cadiz for their part seem determined to hold onto their lead and just defend and play the second half out.
These tactics become quite clear as in 52' Armando in the Cadiz goal goes down unchallenged and has to receive several minutes treatment. Medina is substituted by Pavoni.
In 54' Antonio Lopez shows some trickery down the left wing and gets in a shot which curls just wide of the post. We were beginning to think this is it - Malaga are still in this game and with a little guile and some effort they could easily score the three goals which would give them a victory against a so-so team, who did not have a shot on goal during the entire second half.
In 57' Edgar breaks down the right, gets to the by-line and sends in a powerful cross. Antonio Lopez, lurking just inside the box connects with a great volley which Armando manages to punch out to his right wing. Enrique is there to try and control the ball and Antonio Lopez turns and runs towards him. They both go down in a heap and the referee runs across and flashes a yellow card at Antonio Lopez. Then, he brings out a red card and the new boy's home debut is over after only 13 minutes on the field. We can only surmise that it was Antonio Lopez who was the sub on the bench that was yellow carded in the first half and now he was being sent off for a second "bookable" offence. Malaga are down to 10 men for the second week running!
To his credit, Tapia did not retreat into damage limitation at this setback. Instead, he chose this time to introduce Bovio for his debut, taking off fellow countryman Gabriel, who had been ineffective on the right wing. This meant another restructuring of the formation, with Edgar moving to the left wing, Juan Rodriguez wide right and Bovio in the centre of midfield, in a still attacking 4-3-2 formation.
Big things are expected of Bovio, a stylish midfield playmaker and a former team-mate of Robinho, now at Real Madrid. But these circumstances were not the best for an introduction into Spanish football.
What followed was a number of Cadiz players going down in nothing fouls and looking dead, requiring several minutes of treatment. This playacting was intended to get the referee to send off more players, frustrate and infuriate Malaga's team and supporters and obviously waste time.
Full time Malaga 0 Cadiz 2
So a poor spectacle and Malaga's bad luck and bad run continue. With now 8 games since a win, Tapia's coat has moved to the shaky hook, with the President of Malaga CF, Senor Roldan, being moved to declare in the press during the week that he is still confident that Tapia can save the club from relegation.
The next few games are all against teams which Malaga should expect to get points from, but the manager will have to pick more attacking teams and somehow try to keep 11 men on the field to give them a chance.
We shall see next Sunday if there is any change in fortune when Celta Vigo come to town for the 18:00 hours kick-off. Your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there.