Jornada 35: Salamanca vs. Malaga
Manager Juan Ramón Muñiz had a few selection problems for this difficult away game at high flying Salamanca. With three of his normal back four out suspended (Jesus Gamez, Armando and Jesule) and with the veteran Argentinean centre back Schurrer still in recuperation, Muñiz surprised everybody by including two players (Alcala and Kike) from the very successful youth team (they won their league last weekend) in the heart of the defence and switched his formation to a counter-attacking 4-3-3:
Malaga (4-3-3): Goitia; Molinero, Alcalá, Kiko, Valcarce; Hidalgo, Silva and Gascon; Jonatan, Couñago and Calleja
Right from the kick-off Malaga closed down and pressed for every ball to try and unsettle Salamanca. However, Salamanca did not take long to catch on to these tactics and in the first minute Braulio burst in past Alcalá's and caused some concern to the back four.
Malaga experienced difficult situations during the next five minutes when Salamanca got a hold of the midfield. Arpón, Roberto and Quique Martín imposed themselves with their movement and slick passing. Arpon began to move the ball at his own sweet will and left winger Tomás showed up Jonatan's lack of pace.
Jonatan was not having a good game and his final passes were woeful when he had several players waiting in good positions. Of the front three only Calleja showed any sense of thrust and he had a great opportunity to put his side ahead but instead smashed the ball in against the goalkeeper Tete's body. It was to be Malaga’s only clear chance of the first half. Couñago and Jonatan wasted several opportunities.
In the meantime, Salamanca were dangerous going forward and Malaga’s defence was troubled particularly by Jorge Pina's crosses. The former Malaga B player on the right wing and Tomás on the left created Salamanca’s best chance of the first half. Their interpassing led to Goitia having to make an intervention and the goalkeeper's clearance went straight to Quique Martín's boot. His first time volley went wide although it could have easily gone between the posts.
Half-time Salamanca 0 Malaga 0
Malaga’s defence experienced very few difficulties in second half. Salamanca’s players seemed to suffer from fatigue and there was a lack of sharpness in the players. Quique Martín seemed to be operating at half peep, Susaeta did not appear and only Braulio looked as though he could make an impact. But it was because Alcalá and Kiko were very intelligent and kept everything simple. The teenagers acquitted themselves very well and did not look at all out of place.
The meagre 6125 spectators in the crowd started to whistle at their team and this indeed seemed to spur the home side on. Both Quique Martín and Roberto had shots on target but Goitia’s good form continues and he made the saves to keep Salamanca out.
But as in the first half, Malaga had the best opportunity to score. This time it was Chengue Morales who had come on for the ineffective Couñago in 56 minutes. Again he blasted a clear chance against Tete’s body with the goalkeeper fortunate to have been in the way. But these were the only two clear chances that Malaga had created in the game and so it finished goalless.
The other black spot in the game was that Molinero was sent off for a second bookable offence for handling the ball in the 89th minute.
Full-time Salamanca 0 Malaga 0
Malaga had the best chances of the game but in the end it was another two points lost. In a league as tight as this one, these draws may become very costly. With so many teams, possibly as many as sixteen, still concerned about relegation, every point is gold dust. Every game has a meaning and every team is looking at the other results and the final table so see where they are as a win or defeat can make moving several places. It's evident that we will have to suffer to the very end.
Next Sunday, Malaga are still on their travels when they take on Real Madrid Castilla in Madrid. Real Madrid’s second team are currently in the fourth bottom and relegation spot after their 2-1 away defeat at Elche on Sunday, so this is another six pointer (aren’t they all?). It is live on TV in Spain and also in the UK on Real Madrid TV on Channel 446 on Sky. Never fear, your Malaga CF Correspondent will be watching – will you?
Remember more fun and gossip on www.malagafootballenglish.com
CLASIFICACION
1 Valladolid 78
2 Almería 67
3 Murcia 67
4 C. de Murcia 52
5 Cádiz 51
6 Xerez 50
7 Numancia 50
8 Salamanca 49
9 Albacete 49
10 Tenerife 48
11 Castellón 46
12 Hércules 46
13 Elche 46
14 Pol. Ejido 45
15 Málaga 44
16 Sporting 44
17 Las Palmas 44
18 Alavés 43
19 RM Castilla 41
20 Ponferradina 36
21 Lorca 32
22 Vecindario 24