Jornada 28: Malaga vs Cuidad de Murcia
It’s getting close to crunch time for Malaga. After last week’s defeat in Gran Canaria, they have dropped to just one point above the four teams doomed to relegation. Manager Muniz has stated over and over again that his objective for the season is reach 50 points, as no team has yet been relegated with this points total from La Segunda. However, after 27 games Malaga have collected only 32 points, winning only 8 times, which means that in the remaining 15 matches they must win at least six to achieve the manager’s target.
It is a serious situation for the club. The press have stated that if they make the drop, the club will not survive as La Segunda “B”, the next division down, will not generate the finances necessary for Malaga to clear their debts.
Today’s visitors, Cuidad de Murcia, sit comfortably in 7th position in the table, but ten points off third placed Almeria in the last promotion spot. So they will not be “easy” opponents, but then Malaga this season have not found any of their opponents to be easy.
With the sending off of Hidalgo last match coming with a one game suspension and the poor form of Sandro, the press were speculating on Muniz going for a 4-4-2 formation, with a Counago – Rosado front pairing for the first time. Muniz had stated on Malaga’s official website that he didn’t want to play different set-ups at this stage in the competition as this would confuse his players.
All this was seemingly word-play as the starting line-up was a very unfamiliar 4-1-2-3 formation as Muniz put out a team which he thought would be an attacking force which Cuidad de Murcia wouldn’t be able to cope with. The surprises didn’t stop there! Goalkeeper Arnau, who has been ever-present since the start of the season despite his obvious lack of confidence and form, was at last recognised as being the weakest link and dropped, giving patient Gotia his first appearance in the league this season (in game 28!) With Jonaton Valle recovering from injury and Hidalgo suspended, Sandro was in the starting line-up. Young starlet Popo is still out with injury, so Muniz filled his team with his more experienced players.
Malaga (4-1-2-3): Gotia; Jesus Gamez, Armando, Jesule and Valcarce; Silva; Gascon and Sandro; Edgar, Counago and Calleja.
Malaga had been again offering 2x1 tickets to try and boost the crowd. On a glorious March Sunday afternoon, 14,691 turned up to support their team.
In the first minute, Sandro tries a shot from just outside the penalty area, but it goes wide of the far post.
We are expecting left winger Calleja down the left and right winger Edgar down the right channel, but from the kick-off they were playing the other way round, so yet another tactical surprise from Muniz.
In 9’ Calleja does get to the by-line but his route to goal is cut off, so he lays the ball back to Gascon, who has a go from 18 yards, but his shot is well over.
In 19’ it’s the first effort from Cuidad de Murcia on goal, who seemed from the outset to be playing for a draw. Former Malaga left winger Luque takes a free kick, which Gotia unconvincingly punches out with two fists. The ball lands at the feet of a Murcia player who, with the goal wide open, blasts his shot well wide of the far post. Whew!
In 21’ it’s Calleja’s turn to try his luck with a free kick. With the penalty box crowded, he elects to try and lob the ball directly into the net, but it lands instead on top of the net’s roof.
In 24’ Silva is the first to be booked for a dangerous sliding tackle.
In 26’, Malaga’s best move so far. Edgar makes it to the left by-line and sends in a cross to the box. Counago can only help it on its way to Sandro. The wee playmaker cuts it back to Gascon who sends in a powerful drive low and on target that forces visiting goalkeeper Jose Juan to dive full length and just push the ball away from his near post.
Cuidad de Murcia are showing no attacking threat and apart from that Luque free kick early on have not given Gotia anything to do.
The game deteriorates into a series of fouls and midfield play and in 40’ Muniz makes a change. Gascon, the player who has come closest to scoring so far, is replaced by Perico. This change also requires a change in formation and it goes to a more recognisable 4-2-3-1 set up, with Edgar moving for the first time to the right wing, Calleja left with Perico supporting Counago down the middle.
In 44’ Murcia midfielder Ayoze is booked for bringing down Perico.
Half-time Malaga 0 Cuidad de Murcia 0
Despite the support and noise of the crowd, Malaga are playing this game like a training match. The pace is slow and deliberate and there’s precious little to excite the crowd and get them really behind the team.
The second half starts much as the first finished, but the game erupts finally in the 56’. Counago bursts through into the box and sends an unstoppable shot past Jose Juan. It’s in! It’s a goal! Malaga are in front! We all up dancing and celebrating, but wait – the referee has spotted something and has disallowed the goal and Counago is booked! From our position behind the goal at the other end, we couldn’t see what had happened, but we must conclude that Counago controlled the ball with his hand. What a bummer!
Still the crowd has wakened up and are now roaring Malaga’s every effort on.
Counago has another effort just two minutes later as Malaga press for the opening goal. Perico finds the striker with a pass through the middle but Jose Juan brings off a fine save to deny Counago.
In 60’ Sandro, who’s actually had quite a good game so far, passes square to Silva in midfield. The converted centre half tries from 40 yards but his effort goes 40 yards over, like a conversion.
In 61’ Murcia make a change with Luque going off for Borja.
Edgar is missing down the right wing. Perico is meandering all over the place. Calleja has moved inside. In other words, Malaga have lost their “shape” and look very badly organised. It’s left to full back Jesus Gamez to provide the attacking option and he makes several good runs down the right channel sending in glorious crosses into the box. Unfortunately, there’s nobody waiting for them.
It looks like Malaga’s only chance of scoring will come from a set play. In 69’ Sandro gets an opportunity after Perico is fouled. The free kick is a bit straight on, but Sandro gets the ball over the wall and on target. But the shot has no pace and it’s easy for Jose Juan to collect.
In 70’ Kome is taken off and Ortega, wearing an unusual protective face mask, comes on for Murcia.
In 74’ visiting striker Saizar is booked for a foul on Sandro.
With Malaga’s midfield impotent, it’s left to the full backs to make the forward runs. In 77’ Valcarce darts down the left, and with no other options, cuts in on goal. He’s brought down and Calleja takes the free kick, sending in a swerving shot to the top right corner. Jose Juan does very well to get across his goal to get a hand to the ball and push it away for a corner.
Edgar is replaced by Jonaton Valle.
In 80’ Jonaton Valle is scythed down and the offender, Varela, is booked.
In 81’ Muniz has the last throw of his dice, bringing on Rosado for Valcarce. Jesule moves to left back as Malaga change again to a 4-4-2 set up, Perico going wide right and Rosado up alongside Counago.
Murcia also change with Jiminez going off for Montova.
In 82’ Counago has another good shot saved by Jose Juan, who’s (unfortunately for Malaga) having a very good game.
In 86’ Perico is fouled on the edge of the box by Borja who is booked. Calleja takes the kick short and square to Perico, but the young star’s shot is well off target.
In 87’ Fragoso goes into the book for taking too long to take a free kick.
In the final minutes of the game Malaga have several shots on goal which are all well off target. In 92’ Gotia has to make his first save of the half from Ayoze which would have been a real sickener had it gone in.
Full time Malaga 0 Cuidad de Murcia 0
A lacklustre performance from the home team, full of nerves and lacking in confidence. The win, which Malaga so badly needed to hoist them up the table and put some space between them and the dreaded drop zone, did not materialise. It’s difficult to see where the goals are going to come from in open play that will propel them to safety. Fortunately the other results went for Malaga this weekend with the bottom four teams in the relegation zone all losing, so Malaga go two points clear of the fourth bottom club. However, Malaga now occupy the slot just above them.
Next week Malaga face the relatively short journey along the coast to El Ejido to play Andalucian rivals Poli Ejido, the team managed by former Malaga manager Antonio Tapia, who was sacked just over a year ago. His team are comfortably sitting in midtable with 39 points from 28 games, so although Malaga have to keep looking for those six wins and safety, the short trip is not without danger. Never fear, Your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there!