Match Reports

Malaga made the long trip north to Vitoria to face Alaves without their new January sales striker, 32 year old, former Osasuna player, Ivan Rosado, who was without a club for 18 months and needs both matches and heavy training sessions to get him up to match fitness. With the only striker available to Muniz being Malaga B striker, Ador, (with Counago still out injured), and encouraged by the display of the team last week in the 0-0 draw with Hercules, he put out an unchanged team, again in the attacking 4-3-3 formation.

Malaga (4-3-3): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Armando, Jesule and Valcarce; Sandro, Silva and Hidalgo; Perico, Popo and Jonaton Valle.

This was a courageous thing for Muniz to do away from, for such a defence minded manager. But Malaga's league position, still a precarious 4 points from the fourth relegation spot, and the facts that Malaga had not won away from home since beating Sporting 3-1 in September and that Alaves were unbeaten in the league at home this season, having had only conceded 4 goals, meant that it was time to be a bit daring.

There was only 4,761 at the game, but in temperatures of a high of +6C in the north of Spain and the game live on television, perhaps this was no surprise.

Popo was replaced after only 34 minutes by Edgar to provide more power up front and although the first half was about two teams cancelling each other out in midfield, I didn't really think that Malaga were really threatened.

Second half and one piece of magic in 58' with Sandro supplying right down the middle (as they have to play direct down the middle in a 4-3-3 system and when the front men are so small) to Jonaton Valle, who in turn slipped a beautiful pass for Perico to score an excellent goal. It was in fact Malaga's only shot on goal in the whole game!

Then with 30 minutes still to go, Muniz brings on Ador for Jonaton Valle and the team resorts to the 4-1-4-1 defensive formation to defend the one goal lead. Edgar moved wide right and Perico wide left, with the two "organisers", Hidalgo and Sandro in the centre of midfield. It was not attractive and a fairly nail biting experience and the last half hour was spent in Malaga's half with some desperate defending.

Alaves had a few chances with Brazilian Wellington Paulina causing all sorts of problems with his direct running. But the biggest let-off was when Arnau was on the ground after pushing away a shot (which he should have smothered) and the ball was immediately sent back into the six yard box to Alaves's Australian international striker Aliosi, standing on his own. Inexplicably he contrived to blast the ball over from 4 yards with the goal open and a simple tap in being sufficient.

Full-time Alaves 0 Malaga 1

So, Muniz got his first away win since joining Malaga, although he took a big gamble with his tactics after the goal was scored. He was lucky this time but we hope that he doesn't try this every week.

Malaga have now gone five games conceding only one goal (that howler from Arnau in injury time away to Cadiz). The main reason for this is the consistent form of Jesule who seems to sweep up everything around his fellow defenders and prevents the ball from getting anywhere near Arnau. Malaga's problem, especially with their main goal scorer Salva away on loan with Levante, is who can be relied on to get the goals they need to win games. They may yet resort to promoting seventeen years old U-18 star Plata to the top team, as Ador never looks like scoring. Perhaps Ivan Rosado will be the answer?

Still, the win should boost the team's confidence and hopefully this is the start of better things to come in the next few weeks.
The only worry after the game with Alaves was Jesus Gamez's injury. The full back went down on his own in the Alaves penalty box waiting for a corner and had to leave the field, to be replaced by Molinero. Such injuries can be the most serious and it looked bad to me.

Bring on Albacete next Sunday at La Rosaleda! Your Malaga CF Correspondent will there.