Racing Santander 4 - Málaga 2

Racing: Ricardo; Coromina, Pablo Casar, Juanma, Neru; Diego Mateo (Afek 46'), Nafti; Morán, Benayoun, Regueiro (Jonathan 46'); Bodipo. 4-3-2-1.
Málaga: Arnau; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Litos, Valcarce; Romero, Miguel Angel (Leko 66'); Manu (Insúa 74'), Edgar, Duda (Diego Alonso 74'); Salva. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Racing: Diego Mateo, Benayoun for Matabuena, Javi Guerrero / Málaga: No change.

Goals:
0-1. 18. Salva. Latched on to loose ball in area and beat keeper.
1-1. 54. Morán. Picked up pass on left of area and hit angled shot past keeper.
2-1. 58. Benayoun. Struck free kick over wall from outside of area into net.
3-1. 68. Jonathan. Ran through defence to slip low shot past Arnau.
4-1. 81. Bodipo. Back-heeled shot past keeper from right sided cross.
4-2. 92. Leko. Bent free kick over defensive wall into corner of net.

A hat-full of goals at the Sardinero stadium, where Racing came from behind to beat Málaga 4-2. The visitors were on top throughout the first half, and felt they should have had a penalty early on when Juanma stopped Manu's shot with his hand. Salva shot just wide soon afterwards, but didn't miss a few minutes later after Romero's shot had been blocked and the ball fell to him in the area. And Duda could have made it two before the break if Ricardo had not pulled off an excellent save.

Lucas Alcaraz decided to ring the changes at half time bringing on his young star Jonathan and Israel's Afek, who was making his debut. Less than ten minutes later Jonathan was involved in a move together with Neru down the left, setting up Morán to beat Arnau from a tight angle. Benayoun added a second goal four minutes later with a well struck free kick, and Jonathan made it three with the best goal of the night after taking on and beating the visiting defence.

Málaga had been caught napping, and Bodipo got into the act as well with a clever back-heel from Afek's cross for Racing's fourth. Leko shortened the gap with an injury time free kick, but this was the Cantabrians' night, and they move up to fifth after making one of their best ever starts to a season. And to think they were in disarray only two or three months ago when Dmitri Piterman left them in the lurch!