Málaga CF and Real Oviedo locked horns on matchday 13 of LaLiga SmartBank. The duel kicked off on this cloudy afternoon at the end of October at the Carlos Tartiere. Before the match got underway, the Blue and Whites shared some great news. Pablo Chavarria was part of the starting-11 243 days after he sustained injury at the Estadio Municipal de Anduva (Miranda de Ebro).
On the pitch, both teams attempted to gain possession. The first great opportunity arose for the visitors. Paulino tried his luck from the front of the target with a powerful low shot. The ball grazed the post in minute five of play. The locals sought to take the lead on the scoreboard, but the well-positioned Malaguista defence prevented the attempts with precision. However, following a corner, Borja Bastón put the home side in front in minute 20 (1-0).
The goal, far from daunting the visitors, served as an incentive for José Alberto’s men who enjoyed their best minutes of the match. The Malaguistas frequented the rival area and Genaro once again brought the fans to their feet with a great shot from the edge of the area. The midfielder launched a strong left-footer at the target but missed by millimetres. At half-time the score remained 1-0.
In the second half, equality prevailed on the pitch. Both sides alternated possession and opportunities during this half, where rainfall finally made an appearance.
After circling the goal on several occasions, the Malaguistas went level. Víctor Gómez served up an excellent set piece from the right for Genaro, who with an undeniable header, made it 1-1 in 75’. The midfielder rose above his rivals to send the ball to the near post. Unstoppable.
The last leg of the game was a constant back and forth that could have tipped in favour of either side. Antoñín, in 89’, created a very clear chance with a shot that passed in front of the goal line. In response, Real Oviedo scored the goal that Málaga deserved, again the work of Borja Bastón (2-1, min90).
Following this matchday 13 fixture, Málaga remain in a mid-table position with 17 points. The next league game is on Thursday 4th November against Real Sociedad B at La Rosaleda.
