Victory for Málaga CF against CD Mirandés, at La Rosaleda, on matchday 40 of LaLiga SmartBank. Goals from Escassi and Lago Junior secured a vital victory allowing the team to continue with options of staying in the division.
Sergio Pellicer selected a starting-11 featuring two new players compared to the last match in Ponferrada. Ramalho, for Burgos, in defence and Chavarría, in place of Rubén Castro, upfront.
The Blue and Whites' first approach in 5', ended with a deflected long shot by Alfred N'Diaye. The team dominated the ball from the outset and Mirandés awaited the possibility of a rapid counterattack. After the first quarter of an hour, MCF took the lead on the scoreboard. A cross from Delmás from the right was headed into goal by Escassi (1-0, 17'). Spurred on by the goal, Málaga came close to a second shortly afterwards, with chances for Chavarría (21') and Juande (22').
Pellicer's men, highly focused throughout, barely let Mirandés show their best qualities. Only an attempt from Raúl in 44', saved by goal scorer Escassi, planted some danger in the Malaguista area. At half-time the scoreboard remained 1-0 in the home side’s favour.
In the second half, Luis Muñoz came on in place of a cautioned N'Diaye. Official match number 100 wearing the Málaga CF jersey for the Blue and White number '8'. And immediately came the second Malaguista goal. A perfect pass from Chavarría to Lago Junior, who headed the ball into the back of the net (2-0, 47'). The fourth league goal from the Ivory Coast-born winter signing.
Visitor, Raúl in 65', appeared for the second time in the match with a shot that was saved by Rubén Yáñez. Then in 70', Pellicer made a double substitution, bringing on Esteban Burgos and Rubén Castro for Escassi and Lago Junior.
Raúl tried again with a high shot in 78', the minute in which Chavarría made way for Jozabed. Pellicer's last change saw Juvenil player Álex Calvo come on for reserve team player, Cristian in minute 89 of play.
In 92' Rubén Castro, in a counterattack, sent the ball to the left post of the Mirandés goal. At the final whistle, the 2-0 result reflected a fair and solvent victory leaving Málaga CF with 43 points in 19th place in the table, still having mathematical options (provisionally) to remain in LaLiga SmartBank.
