Match Reports

Saturday 2 December 2006 and a first for us in four seasons since moving to Spain. It's raining at a football match and not only that it's torrential. There is no way we could sit in our seats which are out in the open behind the goal and so we watched the game from the top of the stairs under the shelter of the upper tier. It was the same for the rest of the 8000 supporters who turned up, giving the stadium a strange aspect, with only the (fool)hardy out there near to the touchlines. The game is being shown live on Spanish TV and so it is not surprising that given the atrocious weather conditions that we have the lowest attendance for some seasons.

Malaga are without the injured Edgar and Schurrer and the suspended Silva. But it's a welcome return to the squad of both Counago and Romero after recovering from their injuries. Also recalled are the lightweight Jonaton Valle and the clumsy Cesar Navas in a team which lined up in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, with only the full backs proving width. Perhaps it was because the lateral areas of the pitch were showing signs of flooding, but it has been a very long time since we have seen a Malaga team without two wingers.

Malaga (4-1-2-1-2): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Cesar Navas, Jesule and Jose Mari; Romero; OJ Morales and Calleja; Jonaton Valle; Chengue Morales and Salva.

RM Castilla (4-2-3-1): Cudina; Palencia, Tebar, Agus and Torres; De la Red and Mata; Valero, Granero and Adrian; Negredo.

Castilla are Real Madrid's "B" team and include a number of players who have had first team experience with the "big boys". But they are primarily a young team, typically aged between 19 and 21, so Malaga should have the edge on experience and of course, playing at home. The weather though is uncharacteristic and gives the game a different perspective with the eerie atmosphere and the greasy surface.

Malaga lose the toss and kick off. After an exchange in the centre circle, Jonaton Valle picks up the ball just around the centre spot and puts a through ball for Salva to chase. The burly striker is standing inside the centre circle and starts on a run. He's not known for his pace but somehow he easily outpaces Tebar and runs into the box. Cudina comes out but SALVA coolly goes round him and puts the ball into the empty net. GOAL! 25 seconds! GOAL! What a start!
Malaga 1 Castilla 0
What a great start for Malaga, who after last week's win against Salamanca have gone to 9th in the table and are looking for a little run that would take them further up the league.
We have to wait until the 12' for Castilla's first shot at goal, but Negredo's effort is straight at Arnau.
In 13' Malaga have a great opportunity to go further ahead and put the game out of the reach of Madrid's young stars. Jose Mari sends a long ball down the left to Salva who does well to put in a perfect cross for Chengue, standing on his own in the penalty box. The ball seems to be at awkward height for the 8'7" striker, who cannot decide whether to head or kick the ball. He stoops low to head the ball (wrong decision) and the chance is lost.
In 16' OJ Morales fails to intercept a pass in midfield, when it really should have been his ball. The 21 year old striker, Negredo, manages to shimmy past Jesule and runs into the box. Arnau had the chance to come out and collect the ball but hesitates and Negredo slots the ball into the net for the equaliser.
Malaga 1 Castilla 1
In 19' Tebar, who is having a torrid time, is booked for a foul on Jonaton Valle.
In 21' Jesus Gamez breaks down the right wing to be promptly upended by Torres. Calleja takes the free kick which is punched out by Cudina. Unfortunately for Castilla, it falls to Calleja who hooks a ball back to Jesus Gamez from the by-line. The young full-back strikes the ball well and Cudina can only push the ball away. SALVA pounces on the loose ball and taps home for his own and Malaga's second. GOAL.
Malaga 2 Castilla 1
Malaga's new formation seems to be working as an attacking force, but the defensive fragilities (also known as Arnau and Cesar Navas) are still present and the crowd suck their collective breath every time a Castilla forward chases a ball into the home penalty area.
In 27' Castilla win their first corner. Negredo gets onto the ball at the far post and attempts a bicycle kick which Romero does well to clear off the line with Arnau gone fishing.
From the clearance Jonaton Valle goes on a run in a counter-attacking move. Cudina is off his line and we are all shouting for him to try the lob. Instead he passes left to OJ Morales who has run with him in support. But this is nose bleed country for the Uruguayan defensive midfielder and his shot goes well wide.
In 29' another mistake by Cesar Navas allows Negredo, who is proving too much of a handful for the lanky centre back, another run at goal. His shot is powerful but straight at Arnau.
In 31' Salva gives away a free kick some 30 yards from goal. Granero takes the kick. It flies over the players in the crowded box and bounces in front of the static Arnau, who watches transfixed as the ball slips into the net. Two defensive errors from Arnau and two goals conceded.
Malaga 2 Castilla 2
It seems no matter hard the midfield and strikers work up front, all their good work is undone by sloppy defending.
Malaga keep on attacking the visitor's goal. In 35' the good work almost pays off when a Romero drive is almost headed past his own keeper by Tebar. The ball slides dangerously close by the near post for a corner.
We only have to wait two more minutes though. Calleja takes a corner on the right. SALVA times his jump perfectly to head home and complete his hat-trick.
Malaga 3 Castilla 2
Castilla are not out of it and know that Arnau is suspect in Malaga's goal. They almost score a third equaliser just before half time when Valera's free kick is headed out by Chengue with Arnau at full stretch.
Half-time Malaga 3 Castilla 2
Unsurprisingly, Castilla replace Tebar for Santa Cruz at half time.
More surprisingly, Malaga change their tactics and go for strange looking 4-4-2 formation, with Calleja moving wide left and Jonaton Valle wide right, leaving the two defensive midfielders, OJ Morales and Romero in the middle.
In 47' Salva becomes Malaga's first booking after talking back to the referee after a foul has been given against him.
Malaga seem content to defend their slender lead and defend very deeply in their own half, inviting the young Madrid team to come onto them.
In a rare excursion into the Castilla half, Jonaton Valle (who looks out of place on the right wing) spots Cudina on the edge of his penalty area and tries a shot from half way. The goalkeeper scrambles back but the shot is off target.
In 56' Negredo beats Cesar Navas with yet another nutmeg but his resulting shot is high and wide.
Malaga continue to play very deep, seemingly confident that they can absorb anything Castilla throw at them. Not us in the crowd though and the home fans are strangely muted. The rain continues to pour down unabated and the pitch is becoming very heavy in parts.
In 59' Nieto comes on for Granero.
In 60' Adrian is booked for a foul on Jonaton Valle.
The next minute Salva runs onto a ball and shoots at goal producing a fine save from Cudina, but the referee has blown for offside anyway.
Malaga are playing a dangerous game as Castilla remain camped in their half and seem to be relying on the occasional counterattacks to alleviate the strain from the defence.
In 63' Chengue runs from halfway in one such move. He has no support and when he gets close enough to fire in a shot it is weak and goes wide.
In 66' Hidalgo comes on for OJ Morales, to hopefully provide more of an attacking midfield option for the home side.
In 68' Chengue is booked for a lunging tackle from behind.
The next minute Calleja has the ball in the net, but he's offside.
In 70', in a strange substitution, Calleja is taken off for Valcarce. The left back adopts his normal position and the young left back, Jose Mari takes a more forward position.
Malaga now have five defenders and a very defensive midfielder on the park.
In 71' Cesar Navas keeps up his booking a game ratio with a sliding tackle on Adrian.
Castilla are creating all the chances with Mata and Negreda both going close after neat passing movements and De la Red hitting the wall from a free kick.
The worst was coming and it came in the 76' minute when full back Palencia delivers a superb cross to the far post. Despite the attention of both Malaga central defenders, Negreda gets there first and head down to Valera, standing on his own. He taps home the equaliser from five yards.
Malaga 3 RM Castilla 3
Muniz had been considering bring on yet another defender, Molinero, before the goal and indeed he was stripped and ready to come on. However, the goal changed his negative thinking and poor old Molinero (a right back) had to put his track suit top on again. Instead it's Perico (the left footed right winger?!?) who comes on for the tired Jonaton Valle, in a vain attempt to restore Malaga back into an attacking force.
In 79' Santa Cruz is booked for hacking down Salva.
In 80' a very tired looking Chengue gets the ball in the net but even though it's Salva who is offside but not "active" it's not given as a goal.
In a timewasting move in 88' Rodri comes on for Adrian.
Malaga are more in Castilla's half now as they go for the winner. A long ball finds Chengue in the box. The giant striker turns to shoot and bundled over by Agus. A penalty? Probably. Was it given? Are you serious?
In one last final flurry Salva tries hard to add to his already impressive tally for the game with an audacious overhead kick, but the ball flies over and it's game over.
Full time Malaga 3 Castilla 3

Crime Count: Malaga: yellow cards 3: (Salva, Chengue, Cesar Navas)
Real Madrid Castilla: yellow cards 3: (Tebar, Adrian, Santa Cruz)

Two points lost is how to best sum this game up. It was played in almost surreal conditions with the torrential rain and smaller and muted crowd and but for especially Arnau's fragilities in the first half Malaga could have run up a cricket score. Then with Muniz's wrong tactics in the second half, trying to defend a one goal lead for 45 minutes?!??, in the end a draw was the probably the correct result. But not the home result needed to get the team higher up the table.
Next week sees Malaga fly off to Gran Canaria to play Vecendario in Las Palmas. The Segunda new boys are lying bottom of the table and are struggling to find any form in what is maybe a step too far for them. Let's hope they don't find their form next week when Malaga come calling!