Match Reports

Over 2000 people turned up in a capacity crowd in Nerja last night to watch this cup final for the Trophy of Villa de Nerja.

Muniz had promised us a team who would have more players playing 90 minutes, so we were expecting more or less his first choice eleven to start.

But there were a few surprises (aren't there always?)

1. First of all, two of the stars of the previous games, Paulo Jorge and Apono, were on the bench.

2. Arnau was in goal (I could hear quite a few murmurings around me in Spanish when he ran out at first with the gloves on. It seems it is not just me who has rechristened him "Oh no Arnau")

3. And Salva was nowhere to be seen. That meant that with Ivan Rosado still injured and Peragon being rested until the Betis game, there was only one striker in the squad of players (sound familiar?)

4. Another surprise was that right winger Cheli was given the job of supporting Baha down the middle in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Eliseu wide left and boy wonder Gerardo from Malaga B (who has also been one of Malaga's best players in preseason) wide right.

Málaga (4-2-3-1):
Arnau;
Javi Martos (Raúl Gaitán,82), Hélder Rosario, Weligton, Rossato;
Carpentero and Hidalgo (Apoño, 86);
Gerardo (Paulo Jorge, 89) Cheli (Valcarce, 77)and Eliseu;
Baha (Javi Ramos, 80).

You can see from the times of the substitutions that they were all much too late and too many to change the shape of the team and featured three players from Malaga B, but after their displays, Javi Martos and Gerardo must be pushing for first team squad slots.

The game kicked off at 9pm in the dusk and the inefficient Nerja floodlights, which maintained a strong illumination of the 8 lane running track all evening.

The back four with both Weligton and Helder starting for the first time together looked solid, but Arnau behind them still looked like an anxious bank clerk and is a constant worry. His goal kicking has not improved either, barely getting off the ground or reaching the half way line.

But it was Almeria who were pressing the more in the first 20 minutes and had at least five shots on goal, although none on target. (In truth, they only had three shots on target all night and they all went in!)

Then, after 20 minutes, there was a change of position between Cheli and Gerardo, with Cheli moving wide right and Gerardo down the middle. Whose decision was this? Muniz, or the players themselves? Whoever it was, it made all the difference. Cheli is clearly more comfortable on the right wing and almost as soon as he moved there Malaga scored against the run of play.

With no room to move in the box, he somehow found BAHA who belted the ball home from 15 yards, to keeping his scoring record up during this preseason. Baha is a strong, fast, direct striker and he will score many goals for Malaga this season on this form, because his goals have all been half chances.

Two minutes later, in 22 minutes, Malaga went 2-0 up following a superb passing move which started with Rossato at left back to Hidalgo who pushed it wide to Cheli. The winger then sent a beautiful cross into the box and it was GERARDO who finished the move off beautifully to beat the keeper all ends up.

Almeria were stunned and Malaga were on top until the break.

Almeria made three changes at half time - Malaga made none.

Then the game turned. In the 50th minute, Eliseu, who had made some promising runs down the left, went down seconds after a tackle from Almeria's right back, a shaved head 6' plus mud wrestler (all of Almeria's players seemed 6' plus, but then against Muniz's dwarves....) It looked a bad knock and Calleja started warming up on the touchline.

In truth, in a friendly, when one of your players takes a bad knock, with "unlimited" subs available, he should have been substituted there and then. But no, after a few minutes treatment and then waiting to come back on, Eliseu remained on the pitch.

He was running very gingerly when he received the ball from Hidalgo in Almeria's half. Again he was crunched by the Almeria mud wrestler, but the referee blew for offside instead. Eliseu kicked the ball high up in the dark area behind the goal in petulance and was promptly booked.

Almeria went upfield from the free kick and their Nigerian striker Ulche at last got a shot on target which meant the score went to 2-1.

Eliseu was now very angry with the referee and started pushing him - result second yellow card and he's off. It all could have been avoided so easily, but we have also learned at little about Lubyloo's temperament.

It's the 56 minute and Malaga have to play the rest of the game with 10 men. Muniz has ten subs available. No changes.

So we waited until Almeria scored again and we weren't disappointed when a good move down their right (Rossato looked out of sorts all evening) ended with Carbera scoring.

Then Negredo, who was Real Mardid Castilla's top scorer last season came on with 5 minutes to go and with his first touch of the ball headed home powerfully from another cross from the right.

Final score Malaga 2 Almeria 3

After a promising first half and 2-0 up, it all went pear-shaped with Lubyloo's bad temper killing the game. I hope Muniz fines himself at least a week's wages for not taking him off when he had the opportunity and for not using his subs better to try and save the game.

In an untidy game at the end, Malaga finished with several bookings to contend with: Eliseu (2), Hidalgo, Hélder Rosario, Baha and Apoño.

I still don't think Muniz has played his best first eleven. We may yet see them against Betis on Sunday. Suggested first eleven from the four preseason games I've seen:

(4-2-3-1) Goitia; Javi Martos, Helder, Weligton and Rossato; Apono and Hidalgo; Cheli (or possibly Gerardo), Paulo Jorge and Calleja; Baha.