Match Reports

Saturday 16th September 2006; 1830h, 28C. 13,000 supporters inside La Rosaleda for Malaga's second home game of the season, against Numancia, the team from Soria in the Pyrenees that was relegated two seasons ago and failed last year to return to the top league at the first attempt. So another tough fixture for Marcus Alonso's men, hard on the away defeat to Albacete last weekend.

Malaga make changes to their starting line-up for the first time this season, with new signing Jesule making his debut at left back and attacking midfielder Sandro taking up a position just in front of the back four alongside Romero, with the most consistent player for Malaga so far this season, OJ Morales, dropped and not even on the bench.

Malaga (4-2-3-1): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Silva, Cesar Navas and Jesule; Romero and Sandro; Edgar, Counago and Calleja; Salva.

Numancia: (4-4-2): Juan Pablo; Felipe, Jaio, Tarantino and Sietes; Nagore, Pablo Lago, Palacios and Fran Moreno; Moreno and Bolo.

Malaga start brightly and create the first chance inside two minutes. Sandro finds Edgar running down the right wing. The Angolan squares the ball in front of Salva but his shot is blocked.
In 6' Numancia cross the halfway line for the first time and win a corner on the left. The corner is blocked by the first Malaga defender, Edgar, who clears upfield.
The next minute Romero sends a ball down the left to Calleja, who sends in a lovely ball to Counago, but the striker's header goes wide.
Malaga come even closer in 8'. Jesus Gamez takes a long throw in from the right and Counago wins a corner. Calleja's corner finds Jesule, whose header has Juan Pablo at full stretch to touch the ball onto the post for another corner. comes off the post. The ball falls to Jesus Gamez on his own just outside the box. The full back aims a low shot at goal which Juan Pablo saves comfortably.
It's all Malaga as they mount attack after attack. In 10' Calleja is denied in the box by a desparate tackle after fine work by Counago to create the chance. Again in 15', Counago opens up the defence for Edgar, who is denied by Juan Pablo who has rushed out to clear at the edge of his penalty area.
In 19' and against the run of play, Numancia make their second foray into the Malaga half and win a throw on their left. It's a long throw and Cesar Navas is alone, but instead of clearing the ball up to the half-way line, he heads it straight to Bolo, who is standing in the "D". The striker volleys the ball past the static defence and Arnau could only watch as the ball whizzed passed him into the net.
Malaga 0 Numancia 1
A bad defensive error by the giant 8'3" Cesar Navas, but expertly finished by Bolo.
Cesar Navas is having a bad game and he doesn't look sure about what he's supposed to be doing or who he should be marking. We watched him for several minutes and he just looked lost.
In 23' Numancia win another corner and Silva and Bolo clash with the striker having to go off the field for attention for a head knock.
With Bolo still off the field in 26', Cesar Navas makes another tragic error. He is in the six yard box and instead of kicking the ball upfield or even out of play, he elects a short pass back to Arnau. The goalkeeper was not expecting this ands hurriedly passes the ball left to Jesule. Jesule is being pressurised by Moreno and can only try to send it back to Arnau. In nips Fran Moreno to push the ball past Arnau to make it 0-2. What a disaster! Another self inflicted goal!
Malaga 0 Numancia 2
Numancia are no great shakes but are 2-0 up away to Malaga in front of a 13,000 partisan home crowd. They cannot believe it.
Counago continues to be Malaga's best hope of a goal. From the kick off, he receives a pass from Salva and his rasping shot requires a fine diving save from Juan Pablo.
Then in 29' Edgar runs clear onto a long pass from Sandro. He runs to the touchline but instead of crossing the ball he ends up on his arse and the ball goes out tamely for a goal kick.
The next minute Juan Pablo is again the hero for the visitors with a point blank save from Salva.
Bolo returns the field heavily bandaged after being off for over eight minutes.
In 31' Pablo Lago skins Jesule and his shot from the right needs a fine save from Arnau at his near post.
Counago continues to be Malaga's only real threat but in 34' his shot goes well wide when in a good position.
In 36' Counago goes alone past three defenders before being brought down by Sietes. Sietes next brings down Edgar and becomes the game's first booking.
On 45' Calleja sends in a cross from the left which flies over everybody's heads in a crowded area. The ball lands at Edgar's feet and he crashes in a powerful drive which is blocked on the goal-line. The ball bounces out to Salva in the six yard box, but the burly striker's shot is also blocked. The ball comes out this time to COUNAGO who makes no mistake.

Half time Malaga 1 Numancia 2

Malaga substitute Edgar for Saul at half time.
Malaga again start the brighter of the two teams and in 47' Romero wanders unattacked into the opposing penalty box and shoots at goal. Juan Pablo saves at the post.
In 51' there is some good movement from Malaga when Calleja sends a deep cross over Salva's head and Saul at full stretch hits the side netting.
In 59' Malaga's biggest threat is removed when Counago is replaced by Jonaton Valle, making his debut.
In 62' Numancia's stall is exposed when Felipe is booked for timewasting.
In 64' Bolo is replaced by Kenji.
In 65' Salva finds Jonaton with a short pass but the little forward hits the side net.
In 67' Jonaton goes close again after combining well with Calleja, but his shot is straight at Juan Pablo.
In 70' Tarantino brings down Salva in the box. The referee is well placed and says no penalty.
In 72' Fran Moreno is taken off and Juanra comes on.
In 75' Jesule comes off for another new boy, Ernesto.
In 76' Romero again breaks forward onto a pass from Sandro. Tarantino makes a timely tackle but needs treatment. In 79' Moreno is booked for diving.
In 82' Romero is booked for a tackle from behind.
Numancia are just frustrating Malaga by breaking down the attacks and then resorting to timewasting. Marcus Alonso's reply is to resort to a 3-3-4 formation with Cesar Navas and Romero joining Jonaton and Salva in a four man front line. However, these tactics are those of desperation and rarely succeed. And so in a poor game for Malaga they suffered their first home defeat of the season and a gap is already starting to widen between them and the early season leaders, Xerex and Cadiz.
Many are already shouting for Alonso's head as he is related to the former Finance Director of the club, Mendoza, who was one of the first sacked when the Sanz's took over and was threatened with court action over some of his dealings. So how long will it be before he goes?
The next home match is on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey when Cuidad de Murcia are Malaga's opponents.
The next away league match is at Gijon on Sunday, where Malaga take on Sporting.
The next home game is in two weeks when Malaga take on Las Palmas, from the Canary Islands.
Your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there!