Málaga CF and CD Castellón faced off at 18:30 on Sunday 2nd November at the SkyFi Castalia, in front of 11,345 spectators, including more than 300 Malaguistas.
For the match, Malaguista coach, Sergio Pellicer lined up the following starting-11: A. Herrero; Rafita, Murillo, Montero, Víctor; Juanpe, Dani Lorenzo; Larrubia, Lobete, Dotor, and Jauregi.
The game got off to a dynamic start. The Blue and Whites, wearing their away kit in black with a green-purple stripe on the front, looked fluid with the ball and sharp in defence.
From the outside, the inside, and on quick transitions, Pellicer’s men looked to constantly threaten the opponent’s goal while keeping the home side away from theirs. Dani Lorenzo was the first to try his luck in the 6th minute. He collected the ball on the edge of the box following a solo run by Lobete and struck a low shot toward the near post, catching the Orellut defence by surprise. The ball went out just a few centimetres from the base of the post.
Castellón also had their chances, but Alfonso and Juanpe blocked two balls that looked destined for the net in the middle of the first half. The first was a close-range shot to the near post, and the second came from a corner, with Juanpe heading it away right on the goal line.
Málaga had another clear opportunity in the 37th minute. Dani Lorenzo was brought down on the edge of the box by a foul. The free-kick, from a perfect angle for a left-footer, was taken by Víctor García with extraordinary skill. The ball was deflected by the wall and skimmed the outside of the top corner.
After several more attempts from the visitors without much success, the first half ended with the initial 0-0 score.
The second half brought even more intensity to the match, and the Malaguistas managed to turn the game in their favour very early. In minute 50, local player Jakobsen made contact with the ball with his arm, and after an extended VAR review, Dámaso Arcediano awarded a penalty to the visitors. Jauregi calmly converted it to the left post in the 56th minute (0-1, 56’).
After the goal, the home side pressed to equalise as soon as possible, but Pellicer’s defensive organisation managed to repel Castellón’s attempts.
In the 69th minute, the team made its first two substitutions, bringing on Joaquín and Rafa Rodríguez for David Larrubia and Dotor. Later, Einar and Dorrio replaced Dani Lorenzo and the goalscorer Jauregi.
The number 11 nearly extended the lead on a counterattack, but his shot went too wide.
The match entered a frantic final phase, in which the Orelluts managed to overturn the score in stoppage time, with goals from Camara in the 92nd minute (1-1) and Marco Doué in the last play of the 99th minute (2-1).
A very painful defeat in a game where the Malaguistas gave their all but couldn’t take points on the road.
Málaga CF remain with 14 points in the standings and will host Córdoba CF on Saturday 8th November at 21:00 at La Rosaleda.
