Málaga 3 - Espanyol 4

Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Roteta, Valcarce; Gerardo (Edgar 86'), Romero (Miguel Angel 86'), Sandro (Manu 56'), Musampa; Darío Silva, Dely Valdés. 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Argensó; Navas, Soldevilla, Domoraud, David García; Morales (Martín Posse 63'), Roger; Velamazán (De la Peña 46'), Maxi, Luque (Tamudo 46'); Milosevic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Málaga: No change / Espanyol: No change.

Goals:
1-0. 03. Dely Valdés (penalty). After Argensó brought down striker in area.
2-0. 06. Darío Silva. Picked up loose ball and scored from tight angle.
2-1. 12. Domoraud. Got ahead of defence to head corner low past keeper.
3-1. 15. Darío Silva. Won ball on halfway line and ran on to score.
3-2. 54. Milosevic. Touched in Roger cross from close up on far post.
3-3. 65. Tamudo (penalty). After Soldevilla brought down by Fernando Sanz.
3-4. 85. Maxi. Received Tamudo pass on right of goal and shot low past keeper.

An amazing match at Málaga, where visitors Espanyol came back from two goals down to win the game 3-4. On paper this should have been a home banker, with the home side undefeated in their fifteen games this season, and the visitors not having won away in over a year. And it certainly looked that way when Dely Valdés won himself a penalty in the third minute, falling under Argensó's challenge and converting the spot kick himself. Then three minutes later Darío Silva picked up a ball played on by Musampa to score his first goal of the season.

The Catalans got a goal back soon afterwards, Domoraud getting away from his marker to head Roger's corner down past Contreras. But the French defender lost the ball to Silva on the halfway line moments later, leaving the Uruguayan striker to charge half the length of the pitch before thumping a shot past Argensó.

The Espanyol of a couple of weeks ago would have crumbled, but caretaker manager Ramón Moya has instilled a new spirit in the team, and he urged them on at the break to fight back. On came Iván De la Peña and Tamudo, and ten minutes into the second half Milosevic got on the end of Roger's bouncing cross to force the ball over the line despite the best efforts of Contreras to push it away.

Another attacking change, Martín Posse for Morales, and two minutes later referee Iturralde González ruled that Fernando Sanz had held back Soldevilla in the area. Tamudo tucked away the penalty, and it was all square. Now Espanyol were in command, and they should have gone in front when De la Peña hit the post and Milosevic somehow put the rebound wide with the goal at his mercy. But then with tem minutes to go Maxi Rodríguez got free on the right, and hit an unstoppable low shot past Contreras for the winner.

Two victories in a row, and Espanyol are out of the relegation zone. Málaga finally lost and drop to fifth, but should be able to recover in time for their UEFA cup tie against Poland's Amica Wronki on Thursday. Their ground extension will be open for that game, taking the capacity to 26,000. They need to reach the later rounds to fill it.