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After leading in-form Almeria for more than 80 minutes in the big Andalusian derby of the weekend, Malaga CF were forced to settle for a point after conceding a heart-breaking equaliser deep into stoppage time on Sunday evening.
There was a festive atmosphere inside La Rosaleda for the long holiday weekend, and the near-capacity crowd got behind their team from the get-go, with Malaga starting very much on the front foot.
It didn’t take long for the opener to come: Dioni’s superb 12th-minute header caught Almeria goalkeeper Fernando Martínez out not once, but twice. First, the veteran lost the flight of the ball as it hit the post, then he couldn’t react fast enough to claw the ball away, instead putting the ball into his own net.
Controversy then arose soon after as Malaga fans appealed for a penalty on Kevin, but the referee waved play on.
However, it didn’t take long for Almeria to show exactly why they’re the league’s top scorers. Forward Sergio Arribas looked a constant threat, testing Malaga keeper Alfonso Herrero twice, with a long-range effort in the 19th minute and another shot in the 30th.
He then came very close just before the break when his powerful strike fooled some of the visiting fans into thinking the ball had rippled the net from the inside.
After the break, the first real chance of the second half fell to Malaga. Forward Julen Lobete timed his run in the inside left channel to perfection but saw his shot smothered in the one-on-one by the keeper.
However, with Almeria, who had won their previous seven games in all competitions, chasing the game, the tide started to turn and the ball remained increasingly in Malaga’s half.
After peppering Herrero’s goal with some rather routine efforts, substitute Leo Baptista then stung the stopper’s palms with a low shot that was headed for the bottom corner in the 69th minute.
The last 20 minutes continued in a similar vein, with Malaga passing up multiple opportunities on the counterattack, including from Lobete and substitute Aaron Ochoa, when they had a clear numerical advantage.
And ultimately, they were made to pay for this profligacy. After going to a back five for the final five minutes plus seven of stoppage time, Malaga’s defence looked to have held firm until left-back Víctor García clumsily gave away a needless corner from which Álex Pastor put into his own net from close range.
After leading for so long, this certainly was a case of two points dropped for Sergio Pellicer’s side who next have the opportunity to put it right in Burgos next Sunday (kick off 4.15pm).
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