Match Reports

The first game of the new season, always eagerly awaited, came on Sunday 26 August 2007, with a kick off time of 17:30h, in full bright sunshine and with temperatures in the high 30's, in front of an 11,750 crowd and live TV cameras.

The Segunda looks to be every bit as competitive this season with no fewer than 15 teams out of 22 who have played in La Liga and who all wish to return as quickly as possible. But there are only three promotion slots!

There are eight different clubs in the Segunda this season compared to last, with three down (Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo and Gimnastic), four up (Cordoba, Sevilla Atletico, Racing Ferrol and Eibar) and the controversial inclusion of Granada 74, a club which jumped 300 places from the minor leagues when Cuidad de Murcia was bought, renamed and relocated. It was only at 16:00h on Friday night that FIFA, UEFA and the Spanish FA (RFEF) agreed to their inclusion after meetings in Zurich and Lausanne in Switzerland by independent tribunals.

Manager Muniz has made sweeping changes to his squad, with over 25 players leaving the club during the summer and eleven new signings in his first team squad of 25. In his first eleven of the season, Muniz had no fewer than six players making their official first team debuts.

Malaga (4-1-3-2): Goitia; Jesus Gamez, Helder Rosario, Weligton and Rossato; Carpintero; Paulo Jorge, Hidalgo and Calleja; Salva and Baha.

Salamanca appear in their change shirts of bright orange (like Blackpool), whilst Malaga were in their normal blue and white stripes. We had to wait four minutes for the first goalmouth action and it was from Salamanca, but their striker's effort went well wide. In these early periods, Salamanca are dominating the game and we had to wait until the 9th minute before Malaga's first attack. Salva received a pass from fellow striker, Baha, who has one Moroccan cap, but the big forward had to turn and shoot and the result was high and wide. Malaga went closer two minutes later when Paulo Jorge (on loan from Benfica) sent a long cross over from the right wing. Salva headed the ball back across the goal to Hidalgo, who sent his drive just over the top. Malaga are looking menacing down the wings and Calleja appears down the left and finds Baha with his cross. Baha hits it on the volley and puts it wide. Then Salamanca took over and first Sanchez then Quique Martin run onto passes sending their shots just wide of the posts. In 19' Paulo Jorge is the first man booked for an energetic tackle from behind in midfield. Salamanca force the first corner of the game in 22' which Jesus Gamez heads clear. In 23' Malaga's best move of the game so far after a run down the left wing by Calleja. The winger finds Hidalgo clear in the box, but instead of finishing, he turns, looking for Salva and passes back to him. The striker is not expecting the pass and Salamanca recover to clear the danger. In 24' Jesus Gamez takes a throw to Paulo Jorge. He takes the return and sends in an inch perfect cross to SALVA who heads home powerfully from 6 yards. GOOOAAALLLL!!! It seemed to come out of nothing and was Malaga's first shot on target, but it's the first goal of Malaga's season and they are 1-0 up! Malaga 1 Salamanca 0 As was normal last season, Malaga seemed to go to sleep after their goal and allowed Salamanca to get back into the game. With Hidalgo alone in Malaga's centre midfield, Salamanca dominated proceedings with their playmaker, Cristo, particularly taking the eye.
They came closest to scoring an equaliser in 37' when Baha concedes a free kick 30 yards out from goal. The effort flies over the defensive wall and lands at Carpintero's feet. The defensive midfielder tries to hook the ball away, but instead deflects the ball such that Goitia had to make a full length diving save at his far post to push the ball around for a corner.

Half time Malaga 1 Salamanca 0

Malaga start brightly and Paulo Jorge heads across a deep Calleja cross to Salva on the six yard line, but goalkeeper Alberto makes a fine point blank save. Salva is a good six yard box player and is thriving on the service he is receiving from both wingers. In 50' Hidalgo is brought down and Rossato (who scored 10 goals from fullback for Benfica last season) takes the kick. Alberto again denies Malaga with a fine diving save to his far post. Calleja and Paulo Jorge are creating havoc in the Salamanca defence with their crosses and Baha and Salva both are denied by last ditch defending and fine goalkeeping. In 58' Paulo Jorge again finds Baha in the box, who again is denied by Alberto. In 59' Paulo Jorge is substituted to warm appreciative applause from the crowd. He is replaced by another new signing, right winger Cheli. In 64' Baha is withdrawn to be replaced by yellow booted local Malaga boy, Apono, signed from Marbella in June. He receives a very warm reception from the crowd. Hidalgo moves forward to fill the gap left by Baha up front. The young Moroccan has worked well and looks like he will be a big player for Malaga this season. But in truth, the removal of a striker for another midfielder, is worrying as Malaga seem quite content to defend their 1-0 lead to the finish. Salamanca seem to sense this and there follows a ten minute period when no Malaga player seems to manage to touch the ball and are chasing shadows. In 77' Calleja is replaced by yet another new signing, Eliseu, to make it nine debuts so far for Malaga players during this game. Eliseu's entrance seems to mark a change in attitude for Malaga, who now go back on the offensive. However, Goitia becomes Malaga's second booking in 83' for time wasting. In 84' Hidalgo intercepts a pass in the centre circle and slips the ball square to Salva. The striker sees Hidalgo break forward and produces the perfect return pass to him. Hidalgo is one on one with the keeper who rushes out to close the midfielder down. HIDALGO deftly lobs the ball over Alberto's flailing arms and into the net! GOAL! Malaga 2 Salamanca 0 In 86' Cheli breaks down the right wing and finds support from Apono in the box. The yellow booted one tries to curl the ball into the net but cannot get enough swerve and Alberto saves. In 89' Eliseu, who looks strong and fast, takes a pass from Hidalgo, beats two defenders and crosses from the by-line. SALVA is there to meet it and makes no mistake from 6 yards. GOAL!!!

Full time Malaga 3 Salamanca 0

In the end a convincing win for Malaga, who took their chances well. Some encouraging signs for the season ahead, with strong defenders in the Portuguese Rosario and the Brazilian Weligton and classy wing play from all four wingers on display today. And of course lethal finishing from Salva, who at 32 still looks sharp and fit and strong and will again be Malaga's top scorer if he gets good service from the wings. Three points and three goals plus a clean sheet. Yes, we are well contented with that result!

Video of Malaga's goals available on :

http://www.canalsur.es/resources_inf/archivos/2007/8/26/1188162396244malaga.rm

Posted by malagacf_correspondent at 9:37 AM | Permalink

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

Posted by malagacf_correspondent at 9:41 AM | Permalink

Sunday 26th November 2006; 17:30h kick-off. In the evening of another scorching November afternoon, Malaga take on third placed Salamanca, the surprise team of La Segunda, who boast the highest number of "goals for" in the appropriate column in the table.
Malaga are still reeling from their defeat last week to lowly Elche and are further disheartened at the news of their "saviour" in defence, the Argentine, Schurrer, is out for three weeks with a leg injury. Also still out are defensive midfielder Romero and striker Counago. So Muniz has to make several enforced changes before yet another game he must win.
After the recent run of results in which Malaga have not won in their last seven games, they find themselves 16th in the table, only two points clear of the relegation zone and a massive eleven points off the promotion places. Time to ring the changes then and Ristic, the young Serb signed in the summer, gets picked for the first time this season to appear in the squad. Will he play in the starting line-up and is he any good? Cesar Navas returns to replace the injured Schurrer and in a welcome selection, Jesule is picked in central defence alongside him. Jose Mari is brought back from the Malaga B team to replace the out of form Valcarce and Edgar is preferred to both Hidalgo and Sandro as the creative attacking midfielder, playing just off the striker. Malaga topscorer Salva has been recovering from an injury during the week and so the giant Chengue Morales gets the nod for the lone striker position in Muniz's favourite 4-1-4-1 formation.

Malaga (4-1-4-1): Arnau; Jesus Gamez, Cesar Navas, Jesule and Jose Mari; Silva; Ristic, Edgar, OJ Morales and Calleja; Chengue Morales.

Salamanca (4-2-3-1): Felip; Granan, Tortolero, Mario and Lopez; Pina and De Souza; Martin, Ze to and Roberto; Braulio.

So it is a start for Ristic, playing wide on the right and it is Malaga who start the brightest, playing into the Fondo goal. It is 7' though before we see a real threat on goal when Calleja manages to beat his defender on the left wing to send in a dangerous cross, which Salamanca manage to scramble away.
In 8', the first booking of the game and Chengue is booked for not retreating quickly enough from the location of a Salamanca free kick.
The giant Uruguayan striker, Chengue, is very prominent in these opening exchanges with his huge physical presence and strong running causing panic in the visitors' defence.
In 10' the first real shot on goal arises after good interplay between Chengue and Calleja. The big striker passes the ball back to the unmarked OJ Morales, but he blasts the ball well over.
In 11' Ristic makes his first impression. Again it's Chengue making the openings and his pass out to the right allows the young Serb to run onto the ball. His cross/shot goes just over.
In 13' Tortolero is booked after failing after three attempts to take a free kick from the correct position.
In 15' Salamanca win the first corner of the game. Cesar Navas, despite his 8'7" height fails to reach an easy ball and Jesule has to sweep up behind him to concede the corner. This was to become a recurring feature of the match, although we did not know this at the time. Wonder upon wonder as Arnau actually catches the ball from the corner kick.
We are feeling good about Malaga's first 20 minutes when Salamanca's top scorer this season with 6 goals, Braulio, almost adds to his tally with an audacious back header across a crowded goalmouth, with Arnau beaten. But the shot is just wide and serves as a wake-up call to us all.
Although Chengue did have a shot go well over after 21' it's now Salamanca who are dominating the play, keeping possession with sharp short passing and seemly first to every loose ball.
In 26' Cesar Navas is booked for a clumsy foul, sliding in with his studs up.
Another scare for Malaga after Martin takes a clever free kick from the right which Jesus Gamez does well to reach to concede another corner. Malaga defend the corner well.
In 31', a controversial moment. Calleja spots Chengue's run down the middle of the park. He's free of the defence with his long strides and Salamanca goalkeeper has to run off his line and out of his penalty area to meet the giant striker. The two collide but Chengue gets to his feet first and starts to get clear of the goalkeeper. Felip appears to stick out an arm, tripping Chengue, who falls the ground. A defender runs back and clears the ball into touch. If the referee decides a foul has been committed the goalkeeper must be sent off! Result: no foul!
In 44' Chengue again creates havoc with his running and again gets clear of the defender on the left wing. The right back Granan pushes Chengue in the back and a free kick is awarded. Calleja's kick is too long and high and goes out on the far side for a throw in.

Half time Malaga 0 Salamanca 0
Reflections: A much better display from the home team, who have showed much more urgency against a very well organised and confident team, though without creating too many goalscoring chances.

Malaga reorganise themselves at half-time, taking off Ristic and OJ Morales and bringing on Hidalgo and Salva as replacements. The team goes to a 4-4-2 formation with Edgar moving to the right wing and Salva joining Chengue up front in a two pronged attack. It's as though Muniz realises that he was too respectful of Salamanca with his starting defensive line-up and this more attack minded formation was necessary to get the win that Malaga so badly need.
In 48' a strange set of circumstances. Braulio seems to go down on his own in the centre of the field. When players go down on their own, it is normally a serious injury and a Malaga player kicks the ball out of play so that the player can receive attention. The referee runs across to the stricken player, who immediately jumps to his feet and starts remonstrating with the official. The referee promptly goes to his breast pocket and shows him the red card! Must have been something he said!
Malaga's new set-up shows real promise in 53' in a good flowing move involving Hidalgo, Salva and Chengue, whose final pass allows Calleja to fire a powerful shot,requiring an excellent save from Felip.
In 54' ex-Malaga B player, Pina, is involved in Salamanca's first substitution, going off for Charcos.
In 59' the breakthrough arrives! Jesus Gamez takes a long throw-in from the right, send the ball high into a crowded penalty area. SALVA is first to react and scores from close range.
Malaga 1 Salamanca 0
In 60' Chengue slips a fine pass to Calleja who runs into the box and who is then bundled off the ball. Despite appeals to the contrary, the referee does not award the penalty.
It's all Malaga now, who are keeping their shape and keeping both wingers wide on the flanks stretching the 10-man Salamanca team. In 61' Calleja makes a break down the left and finds Salva with his pass but the burly striker sends the ball just wide of the far post.
In 64' Cesar Navas gives away another corner off his knee, but the extra defensive training that Muniz has been putting the team through seems to be paying off (despite Cesar Navas) and Hidalgo clears the from the corner kick.
In 70' Hidalgo has a chance at the other end. With all the players gathering at the far post awaiting his free kick, he elects to try a shot at goal. A defender manages to just head the attempt over his own bar.
In 73' Mario (another ex Malaga B player) is booked for high feet.
The next minute Calleja and Salva again combine and Salva's shot flashes right across the goal and just wide of the far post.
In 77' the disappointing Ze to is subbed for Math.
In 79' Chengue goes on a run down the right wing. For a big man he is surprisingly mobile and goes past three defenders. Edgar has moved inside to support him and when Chengue releases his pass, Edgar must surely run on and score. However, the Angolan pulls up with a hamstring injury and is replaced by Perico.
Suseuto also comes on for Roberto for Salamanca.
In 82' Hidalgo is booked for a tackle from behind.
Malaga seem to have the game won as they continue to dominate the play, but 1-0 is a slender lead.
Then 86' Salamanca seek the equaliser with three successive corners which eventually Jesus Gamez clears the danger with a good powerful header upfield.
In 88' Salva gets a booking for complaining to the referee over zealously.
Then in 90' our hearts are in our mouth when Salamanca are awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Despite all Malaga's players back defending, the free kick beats the wall but Arnau is well positioned and grabs the ball and clutches it to his chest.
Full time Malaga 1 Salamanca 0

Crime Count:
Malaga: Yellows (4): Chengue, Cesar Navas, Hidalgo, Salva.
Salamanca: Yellows (1): Tortolero. Reds (1) Braulio.

An excellent result against a strong Salamanca team, which sees Malaga move from 16th to 9th in the table. A clean sheet too (due mainly to Jesule sweeping behind Cesar Navas) and a more confident approach throughout the team, which augers well for the next few games. The next game is also at home, next Sunday to Real Madrid Castilla, which will be shown live in Spain (and in the UK on Sky Channel 446 (Real Madrid TV)). A great opportunity for Malaga to start a winning run and get their season kick-started. Never fear, Your Malaga CF Correspondent will be there!

Posted by malagacf_correspondent at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)