Málaga: Ochoa; Rosales, Albentosa, Weligton, Miguel Torres; Juanpi (Atsu 85‘), Recio, Pablo Fornals, Chory Castro (Duda 72‘); Uche (Juan Carlos 63‘), Charles. 4-4-2.
Sporting: Cuéllar; Lora, Luis Hernández, Jorge Meré, Isma López; Sergio Alvarez, Omar Macarell; Carmona (Pablo Pérez 72‘), Dani Ndi (Carlos Castro 46‘), Jony; Sanabria (Halilovic 68‘). 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 25. Juanpi. Picked up Charles pass and cut across area to beat Cuéllar.
Yellow cards: Isma López 18’, Juanpi 26’, Sergio Alvarez 52’, Rosales 69’, Pablo Pérez 80’, Halilovic 85’.
One match on Friday evening this week, Málaga moving safely up to mid-table after a 1-0 victory over Sporting Gijón. Ochoa was making his first league start in goal after 18 months at the club, and he had to save from Sanabria in the opening minute. However Chory Castro and Charles went close at the other end, and midway through the first half the locals took the lead, Charles laying off Recio’s pass for Juanpi to cut across the edge of the area and curl a shot wide of Cuéllar. After the interval Recio tested Cuéllar with a long shot, and Weligton headed a free kick just wide with the keeper stranded. Ochoa had to save from Sanabria and then Pedro Pérez though, and Carlos Castro fired a shot against the foot of the post with the goal at his mercy. The visitors felt they should have had a last minute penalty as well when Pablo Fornals appeared to block a Halilovic cross with his upper arm, but the referee waved play-on. A fourth defeat in a row for the Asturians, and they stand to end the weekend further down in the drop zone.