Club Atlético Malagueño, Málaga Club de Fútbol’s reserve team, has achieved a well-deserved promotion to the Segunda Federación after mathematically securing the championship title of Group IX in the Tercera Federación.
With one match still to be played, the Malagueño side has earned 80 points in 33 matches (25 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses), scoring 73 goals and conceding only 21.
This Sunday, promotion was sealed at La Rosaleda against Mancha Real. There was an excellent atmosphere at Martiricos, with 4,500 spectators in attendance, as the Preferencia and Fondo Sur bajo sections were opened to witness a historic 4th May for the youth academy.
Funes named a starting-11 of: Andrés Céspedes; Rafita, Recio (captain), Santaella, Márquez; Arriaza, Rafa; Jesús, Valcarce, Abreu; and Juanma Hernández. Substitutes who came on in the second half included Juani, Rubén Sánchez, Salguero, Mateo, and Chupe.
And it was none other than Chupe, the team’s top scorer and the leading goal scorer of Tercera División Group IX, who opened the scoring (1-0, 72’) in the victory, converting a penalty he won himself just moments after coming on. The Córdoba-born number 9 now boasts an impressive 24 goals in 23 matches.
Near the 90th minute, another substitute, Rubén Sánchez, sealed the win, the title, and the promotion (2-0, 88’) to the delight of the ecstatic Málaga faithful.
With the MCF Academy seal
One of the key factors this season has been that, for the first time in its history, the team led by Juanfran Funes and Francis Bravo played their home matches on the main pitch of the Ciudad Deportiva Fundación MCF.
The homegrown Malaguistas have been able to carry out their daily work in the new facilities, creating an ideal environment that helped them become the strongest home side in the league, with 16 wins, 1 draw, and no losses.
Malagueño has retained much of the squad that reached the promotion playoffs last season, making it the youngest team in the club’s history.
The Blue and Whites are once again celebrating a promotion, replicating their last ascent in the 2018/19 season to the now-defunct Segunda División B. Congratulations, champions!
